You Can Always Come Home
by AriLisette
Summary: Rachel Berry wasn't the Broadway starlet she had always wished to be. Rachel had secrets and when a threat brings her back to her childhood home will she be able to handle it? Will she be able to keep her secrets intact? A/U Glee/The Unit crossover. RB/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Glee or The Unit…**

**I'm a huge fan of Glee and The Unit. This story came to me in a dream. I literally had a Glee and Unit marathon over this week and somehow the two got twisted in my lovely mind and I decided to just go with it. Hopefully this isn't too much of a hot mess. I'm kinda liking this idea. Rachel is definitely OOC in this. I'm not following any particular season of either show. I'm all for odd pairings so if you are die hard canon shippers than this is not the story for you. I know I'm kinda rambling a bit so I'll end this real quick. Please enjoy this and let me know if it's worth continuing. Constructive criticism is always welcome but not flames. This is just for fun, don't take it too seriously. LUV YA ;***

Chapter 1

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><p>Rachel Berry groggily opens her eyes and sleepily reaches for her beeping phone. It's times like these that the small brunette wishes she could just ignore the phone and snuggle deep inside her soft covers, but duty calls and she can't ignore her type of job. She tiredly rubs her eyes and glances at her bedside clock to see its 0300 hours and silently curses her two roommates for talking her into drinking more than she should have earlier in the evening. With only two hours of sleep it's going to be a long day.<p>

"Go for Berry." The petite brunette rasps in her phone tiredly. The conversation is quick and to the point like always and Rachel hastily jumps out of bed and dresses herself in a pair of dark black jeans, a small gray V-neck t-shirt and flat black leather boots that reach mid-calf.

She splashes cold water on her face and brushes the bad taste out of her mouth that comes from a long night of drinking beer and eating bar food. The tiny dark haired beauty rushes through her shared apartment and bumps into one of her roommates as he is in a similar state of hurrying to their _job_.

"Watch were you're going Blue." Rachel snaps playfully while pulling her dark curls into a messy bun atop her head. The short man with close cropped dark curls flashes Rachel a lopsided smirk that affects her more than she is willing to admit. Not since high school has she felt these types of butterflies in her stomach courtesy of the opposite sex.

"Star, you're the one that bumped into me. If you wanted to get up on all of this all you had to do was ask." He says with a sly wink and sexy grin that was very reminiscent of a certain Mohawk boy she once knew from a different life. A life Rachel left behind seven years ago. She rolls her cinnamon eyes and fights to keep the subtle curve of her full lips from spreading into a wide smile while she grabs her tight fitted black leather jacket and car keys.

"Let me guess Hector got the girl tonight." Rachel says with an impish grin, referring to their missing roommate. Charles Grey just smirks at Rachel letting her know that the cute Latina at the bar had in fact opted to spend her evening with Mr. Tall-dark-handsome nice guy instead of the much shorter, scruffier handsome charmer that he is. What he doesn't say is how he had wanted to come home with Rachel instead of hooking up with some random bar girl which was his usual mo.

The two _co-workers_ banter back and forth easily the whole way to _the cave_. The bickering pair has made this trip more times than they care to know. Its routine and the walk down the long hall along with the flashing of badges and sliding of electronic key cards could be done in their sleep. After tossing her keys and phone down on the well-worn table Rachel grabs her white mug with the huge gold star on the side and fixes herself a strong cup of coffee. She's going to need it if she wants to make it through the day without passing out.

She takes a seat next to Bob Brown and asks the good-looking green eyed man about his wife and kids. Rachel enjoys watching her friend's face light up at the mention of his family and happily listens to him recount a cute story about his young daughter Serena. The last few members of the team come trickling in and the last to arrive is her other roommate Hector Williams. The sly smile he shares with Charlie proves that his night with the pretty Latina went well.

Once everyone is assembled they make their way over to the plain room filled with desks reminiscent of a public school classroom. The six team members, five men and one woman take their seats and wait for Colonel Tom Ryan to brief them on their newest mission. At twenty four Rachel was far from what her sixteen year old self had imagined she would be. No she wasn't the Broadway star she had always hoped would take America by storm with her amazing talents. Instead she was an operator in an elite unit of soldiers that answered only to the President himself.

Her life has taken a turn that no one could have ever imagined and surprisingly the demanding diva has no regrets. The hardened colonel strides purposefully into the small classroom in his usual army fatigues and serious expression. Rachel pulls her attention from Hector and Charlie's conversation and meets the steely gaze of her superior officer. He watches her closely, searching her eyes for a brief moment. Rachel feels uneasy at the flash of concern that is gone just as quickly as it appeared.

"It seems we got ourselves a situation gentlemen, lady." The colonel states in his gravelly tenor. He hands out a manila folder to each member of his Alpha team and watches Rachel closely, as the only female member of his unit she has a special place in the hardened soldier's heart. If he had a daughter he'd think she would be something like the tiny diva.

Rachel opens the folder and is immediately bombarded with images of one Coach Sue Sylvester. It had been almost seven years since she last saw the demented former cheer-leading coach. It was because of her that Rachel's life had turned out much different than she had originally planned.

"Colonel I thought she disappeared for good. She's been completely off the grid for almost seven years." Rachel's voice is filled with some many emotions that she had thought were buried deep down enough never to surface again.

"Well Berry something has drawn her out of hiding. There's been some chatter that she is planning an attack and it's personal." Ryan hates the fear that passes through the tiniest member of his team. Rachel isn't some damsel in distress. Oh no, the petite beauty worked her way through boot camp, ranger school and unit selection with a determination rivaling men three times her size.

He took a personal interest in her all those years ago when he met a seventeen year old Rachel during one of the most terrifying moments of her life. The colonel was impressed that through it all she handled herself in a way that any member of his unit would. She was a born operator and using his clout he helped Rachel push past all the walls that keep women from joining the Special Forces. Normally he didn't allow females in his unit but Rachel was the only exception. With each mission the diva proved herself time and time again that his decision was not a wrong one.

"Hold up colonel…your saying that crazy bitch that had Star and her glee friends held hostage seven years ago, is coming after them again." Charlie voiced what all the members in the room were thinking. The thought that someone was after one of their own did not sit well with the overprotective men.

"That's right Grey. But it's not just Berry she's after. It's all of them. There's going to be a wedding. I think you got the invite in the mail Rachel." Ryan says getting back into boss mode. Rachel vaguely remembers seeing the simply pretty white envelope addressed to her in a familiar delicate scrawl that belonged to Miss Pillsbury. She had just come back from a particularly long mission with Mack and Bob and seen the invitation sitting on her bedside table.

"Yes but I wasn't planning on attending. I haven't been back to Lima since I graduated." Rachel knows she's been avoiding going back home but she just couldn't go back and risk seeing anyone she knew from high school. That part of her life was over and keeping her cover was more important. Too many friends mean too many questions. The 303rd Logistical Studies Group was a thin enough cover as is, she didn't need to add to the suspicion surrounding the unit.

She had cut ties with everyone except her two dads. To them she was a civilian contractor working with the group and neither of them approved of her life choices. Both her father's couldn't understand how one day her dreams were centered on being a famous star, only for her to become a glorified secretary. It was this reason she didn't visit home. Her fathers were the ones to come and visit her at Fort Griffith when she had the time and they always seemed to judge her for giving up her dreams of stardom. They meant well and loved her dearly; Rachel just couldn't take the guilt of lying to their faces.

She couldn't put into words how wrong they were about her life. Ever since the incident as she likes to call it, Rachel discovered that this was her calling. Being one of hundred and fifty elite soldiers and protecting her country along with its people was what she was born to do. She was damn good at her job and surprisingly her talent for acting and singing helped a mission on more than one occasion.

"Oh you will be attending Star and Grey here is going with you as your husband. Your cover will be a happy army wife who met her husband while working on base. I need you two to scope out the wedding venue and Lima. I want all the intel you can gather. Snake doctor and the rest of the team will be providing security discreetly. You and Betty Blue will be on the inside doing what you can to keep everyone safe. Wheels up in thirty." Ryan delegates easily having done this hundreds of times before. He's mastered his ability to keep his personal feelings from interfering with the job.

"Yes sir." The team answers and quickly gathers around team leader Jonas Blane. The tall solid man with the deep honeyed voice effortlessly strategizes with his team. They are a well-oiled machine and he will be damned if any fool was going to come to his house and hurt one of his own.

"How am I going to explain to my dads that I'm suddenly married to my roommate? They're going to freak out and complicate everything." Rachel huffs wearily while Hector wraps her tiny frame in a brotherly hug. She could only imagine her dads forcing Charlie and her to have a small reception for a wedding that never happened.

"I'm on that Star. I'll have Medawar set up a surprise vacation for your dads courtesy of their loving daughter. That should get them out of Lima for the week." Jonas is always one step ahead. He knew from past conversations with his wife Molly that Rachel was having a hard time with her fathers and knew the diva didn't need to add to an already stressful situation.

Once the preliminary details have been hashed out, Alpha team grabs their go bags and head to the transport plane that will take them to Lima, OH. Rachel tosses her bag down on the floor and flops down on the long bench seat. These planes were not built for comfort but it does the job. The team keeps to themselves and leaves Rachel to her thoughts. When she's quite like this they know to let her have her space. Rachel lets her mind wander back to the day when everything she knew changed forever.

_**Seven Years Earlier….**_

It was junior year and a week before nationals. Rachel and the glee club were working double time to make sure that they were prepared for the upcoming competition. What they didn't know was that Coach Sylvester was plotting to have them kidnapped to keep them from making it to nationals. The former cheerios coach was also close to falling over the edge of her insanity.

Instead of hiring local thugs to do her dirty work she contracted a group of former special ops mercenaries to do the deed. From there things had slowly begun to go downhill. The glee club was assembled in the auditorium after school and was diligently rehearing their routine when the five armed mercenaries burst into the auditorium as if they were storming the beaches of Normandy. It had all happened so quickly that most of the initial moments were a blur to Rachel.

There was so much screaming and chaos that it was hard to focus. Once the men had corralled the glee club on stage Rachel was able to regain her composure. Mr. Shue being the protective father type tried to reason with the armed men and begged for the kids to be released and offered himself up as the lone hostage. One of the captors happened to be a little trigger happy and put a bullet in Mr. Shue's side causing the young teacher to fall to the stage in a bloody heap.

The sight of so much blood still gives Rachel nightmares. Brittney surprisingly kept calm enough to take her sweater off and use it to apply pressure to his wound. Thankfully it had been a through and through shot but the amount of blood he was losing was not good. Rachel silently stayed by his side while watching the armed men closely. Every so often the leader would talk on a cell phone with presumably whoever had hired him.

The young ingénue immediately started plotting a way to get out of this situation. Rachel Barbara Berry was never one to sit and be idle. A little known fact about Rachel was that along with singing and dancing lessons that begun at a young age she was also well versed in the art of mixed martial arts and the Israeli Army fighting technique known as Krav Maga. Her fathers had wanted Rachel to be able to take care of herself when she eventually moved to the big apple to pursue her Broadway career.

Yanni, Rachel's Krav Maga teacher had been grooming his star pupil since the age of four and as with anything in her life Rachel Berry excelled beyond his highest expectations. He once told her that she had a hidden killer instinct that would someday save her life, how right he had been on that long ago day.

Rachel had called on all of her training that day to devise a plan that would get them out of there and get Mr. Shue the help he needed. The alternative of watching Mr. Shue slowly bleed to death was not something that Rachel wanted to happen. She had already enough issues to deal with in therapy. Hours had passed and the sounds of sirens and yelling by their captors had indicated that this was now a full-fledged hostage situation. The glee clubbers huddled near their teacher's prone form and had begun to think that none of them would live to see the next day.

Little did they know that Alpha team had been called in to help end the situation as quickly and quietly as possible. The unit specialized in situations like these and never took credit for them. Technically they didn't exist but if something went terribly wrong the full blame would be on their shoulders.

Sergeant Major Jonas Blane had his team in place and was lucky enough to have a smart tech geek hack into the school's security system and use the cameras to stream live video of the hostages in the auditorium. Master Sergeant Mack Gerhardt kept his eyes on the huddled mass of terrified teens as the rest of the team, Sergeants first class Charles Grey, Hector Williams and Bob Brown were going over blueprints of the school and figuring out the best way to take down the five armed men without getting the kids hurt.

On the inside Rachel was becoming more and more concerned at the rate of blood that seemed to be oozing from Mr. Shue's wound. Being who she was Rachel could not just sit back and watch the man die. Rachel was far too selfish to not want to make it out of this situation alive. After all Nationals was still a week away. The tiny brunette was not satisfied with sitting and waiting while the cops were taking their sweet time trying to figure out what to do.

Rachel turned to the group with her determined diva stare and prepared herself to give the best speech of her life. "We can take them down. We beat them out in sheer numbers. There are thirteen of us and only two here inside the auditorium and three on the outside. We can do this." Her voice is barely above a whisper but was filled with the same Berry passion she always has when giving one of her patented rants.

"Have you finally really lost your damn mind? There is no way we can take out five armed men." Santana Lopez snaps as lowly as she can. The fiery latina is in no mood to deal with Rachel's brand of crazy at the moment.

"Satan's right. There's no way Berry that we can do this without getting us all killed. I'm a badass but there is no fucking way I'm going up against some roided out gunmen." Puck runs his hand over his Mohawk head and glares at the tiny diva.

The rest of the club nod in agreement and Rachel silently fumes. Not even Finn her boyfriend and co-captain is on her side. "Fine as co-captain of this glee club I guess…I'll just do it on my own." Rachel snaps while Quinn rolls her eyes at the over dramatic Rachel.

The brunette turns to Tina and asks her to trade clothes with her. "I can't do this while wearing a skirt and knee socks." Tina's eyes widen slightly while Finn tries to reason with his girlfriend. Rachel will have known of it. She's set her mind on this and intends to see it through.

"Please." Rachel uses her best puppy dog eyes and Tina caves and as discretely as she can pulls off her jeans and boots. Rachel thankfully trades her skirt and ballet flats. In a matter of moments the two have changed clothes without drawing any attention to themselves. The gunmen are too preoccupied with the growing law enforcement presence on the outside.

Meanwhile Mack notices the movement on his screen. "Snake Doctor you got to come over here and check this out." Mack isn't sure what's happening but a gut feeling tells him something is about to go down.

"Roger that Dirt Diver. I'm on my way." Jonas leaves the training of the SWAT team and heads over to Mack. "What do we have over here Dirt Diver?" He's curious as to what has Mack on red alert.

Jonas leans closer to the computer screen and notices a small dark haired female hastily pulling on a pair of jeans and trading shoes with another female. "You think this one is planning something?" Mack just shrugs his shoulders as Jonas continues to watch the young girl prepare herself for something. She's pulling her long dark hair back into a bun at the nape of her neck and is tightening the laces on her newly acquired combat boots while the other teens huddle closer together with equal looks of defeat on their faces.

"Betty Blue, Hammerhead, Cool Breeze get your teams in place. You need to get in there now!" Jonas barks out in his deep bass voice as he and Mack watch with a mix of horror and admiration as a small girl leaps from the stage with the feline grace of a black panther and silently dispatches one armed guard.

"GO! GO! GO!" Grey yells into his headset as he expertly leads his team through a side entrance as Brown comes from the other side with Williams close behind. It's like a well-choreographed dance as Alpha team leads the SWAT officers through the abandoned halls. Using only hand signals Brown communicates with Williams to take his team and clear each hallway. With Williams taking his team and securing the halls Grey and Brown silently make their way to the auditorium armed with their 9mm.

The two seasoned soldiers easily and quickly put two bullets in each of the three armed men as they approach the auditorium doors. Brown using hand signals once again communicates with Grey letting him know that he will open the door and cover him as he makes his way into the auditorium. Grey nods his head in acknowledgement and readies himself to take out the next captor. What Grey wasn't anticipating when entering the large room was finding a tiny brunette that could make him look tall in comparison standing over an unconscious man with an automatic rifle grasped in her small hands.

She's slightly disheveled and her chest is heaving with each shaky breath as she lowers the weapon to the ground. From the corner of his eye Grey catches movement and in a flash grabs the young girl and pulls her close to his chest as he just as quickly fires off three rounds into the charging figure. The terrified girl lets out a muffled sob into his chest as Brown rushes the stage to check on the condition of the injured teacher.

"Snake Doctor this is Cool Breeze…the area is secure and we have the precious cargo. Repeat we have the precious cargo but one package has been damaged and we need immediate assistance." Brown scans the group of kids and takes note that no one else is hurt.

"Cool Breeze this is Snake Doctor assistance is on the way. Have Hammerhead bring the precious cargo out the front entrance and have Betty Blue bring his prize straight to me." Jonas delegates orders to the local authorities while still slightly shocked at the footage of the tiny girl disarming two men twice her size.

Rachel readied herself and in a flash with all the grace her ballet training had given she had managed to leap from the stage and onto the back of the closest of the gunmen. Wrapping her small arm around his thick neck and using all her weight she bore down with all her might and after a few moments managed to render him unconscious. Rachel was pretty sure the amount of adrenalin pumping through her veins is what was helping her get the better of these men.

Just as quickly Rachel bum rushed the other guard with the unconscious man's weapon in hand. Rachel was shocked to find out how heavy the rifle was but soldiering on she used her advantage of surprise and slammed the man in the back of the head with the butt of the rifle. He fell to his knees and before he could reach for his gun Rachel bashed him once more as hard and she could muster. The sickening crunch of breaking bone almost had her vomiting on his bleeding head. What had felt like hours to her had only taken a few minutes to accomplish.

Before she could figure out how to get everyone out of the auditorium safely the doors fly open and in come the SWAT team armed to a tee and ready for action. Rachel locks eyes with the shortest of the men and his reassuring gaze let's her know that everything will be ok. She slowly drops the rifle to the ground and tries desperately to keep herself from hyperventilating.

With her eyes still locked on the stranger she feels herself begin to calm down. His eyes move quickly to the side and in a split second Rachel feels herself being pulled into his arms and then a loud pop, pop, pop lets her know that the first gunmen she attacked had waken and was gunning for her. All the adrenalin leaves her body and the crazy emotions of the ordeal catches up to her. Rachel lets out a sob into her savior's chest and cries out all her feelings. The man holds her a little tighter with one arm while holstering his firearm. Rachel takes a deep breath and his masculine scent of soap and sandalwood calms her frayed nerves.

_**Present time…**_

Rachel jolts awake as the familiar scent of soap and sandalwood she associates with Charlie invades her senses. She opens her large brown eyes and sees Charlie's concerned face hovering over her. She hadn't even realized she'd fallen asleep. Rachel puts a hand to her racing heart and tries to calm herself down. She hadn't had a nightmare about that day in a long time. It was probably her trip back that was stirring up all those old memories she would like to keep locked away.

"You ok Rach?" Grey asks trying not to sound too overly concerned. He knows how much she hates being seen as helpless. Rachel gives him a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes and tells him she'll be fine. Charlie doesn't push her. He's learned the hard way that when Rachel is ready to talk she'll do it on her own terms.

Rachel leans her head on his shoulder and enjoys the safe and protected feeling she has when she's near Charlie. The two sit in companionable silence and just enjoy the company of the other. It's not awkward because neither of them need to fill the silence with useless chatter. If only it were possible for Rachel to hold on to this feeling when she arrives in Lima. She knows the moment she steps off this plane her life was going to get a hell of a lot more complicated than she was ready to deal with.

**A/N: Please Review. Next up Rachel and Charlie play house and some of the gleeks make an appearance. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I don't own Glee or The Unit.**

**I just want to say thanks to those who have reviewed. I really appreciate it. I wanted to respond personally but something is hinky with my e-mail and review thingy. The response to the story is awesome. Got a lot of hits. I hope you guys like this chapter. Please Review and let me know what you guys think. Also I'm gonna break down the main characters so no one gets confused.**

**Rachel Berry- call sign Starlight, also referred to as Star or Berry**

**Charles Grey- call sign Betty Blue, also referred to as Carlito, Blue, or Mr. White, Black or Grey**

**Jonas Blane- call sign Snake Doctor, also referred to as Top, Mr. White or Black**

**Hector Williams- call sign Hammerhead, also referred to as Mr. White, Black, Blue or Green**

**Mack Gerhardt- call sign Dirt Diver, also referred to as Mr. White, Black, Blue or Green**

**Bob Brown- call sign Cool Breeze, also referred to as Mr. White, Black, Blue or Green**

Chapter 2

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><p>"No…no…no I totally remember her having an Adam's apple Blue and her hands were the size of baseball gloves." Rachel giggles loudly at the horror struck look on Grey's face. The team were recounting some of their funnier moments from previous missions to past the time. This round of humorous stories was aimed at making fun of Betty Blue.<p>

"What the fuck…I had to take one for the team. She had the intel we needed and Elena was a wonderful woman by the way." Grey was smirking but on the inside he cringed at the memory of the Amazonian red head from Dublin that he had to put the moves on just to get the info on a local drug smuggler that the unit needed to take out. He didn't sleep with her but there are some things that not even copious amounts of alcohol could erase from his mind.

"Alright that's enough picking on Carlito." Mack pats Grey on the back and chuckles softy as the rest of the team starts discussing this year's plans for the day of the dead celebration. Rachel since joining the unit three and half years ago had taken to planning the yearly gathering honoring the fallen Unit members and their widows with the crazy Berry zeal she was known for.

This year Rachel was going all out with a Monte Carlo Casino night theme. "I don't know Star…men like us don't like being in a monkey suit longer than necessary." Mack glares at the tiny diva when she flashes him the patented Berry stare that meant there was no way he was getting out of wearing a tux for the night.

"That's the point. We hardly ever get to be a little glamorous. Nine times out of ten we are in some dingy, dirty and overly hot country that no one's ever heard of. I think I deserve a night to get all dressed up and pretty." Rachel grins widely as she fondly remembers junior prom with Mercedes and Sam.

"You mean the widows deserve it." Charlie calls Rachel out on her slightly selfish behavior. He can't help the smirk on his face as Rachel's cheeks tinge a soft pink. He couldn't help but think she was beautiful when she blushed.

"Oh…right. Of course they do." Rachel tries to be pissed at Charlie but can't when he looks at her like that. It was the dimples that did her in every time and his chocolate eyes flecked with gold dancing with mischief made her stomach flip deliciously. They continue to bicker like an old married couple through the rest of the trip to Lima.

Bob and Hector share a knowing look as they watch the two brunettes flirt and banter with each other. It was blaringly obvious to anyone who saw the two operators interact with each other that they were in love. Even Colonel Ryan could tell that ladies man Grey was head over heels in love with the diminutive beauty and that Rachel was equally enamored with the short charmer.

Yup anyone could tell except Rachel and Charlie. Oh Rachel knew she was way in over her head in love with Charles Grey and had been since she was seventeen. She was just very good at being in denial when it came to her feelings for him. Charlie on the other hand was still confused over his feelings for Rachel. He was a ladies man and a Unit man for life. Wife and kids in his line of work was just not an option for him. He saw how hard things were for the women left behind and how a soldier could be distracted by thoughts of home. A distracted soldier was a dead soldier.

He was fine being a bachelor for life and loved being Uncle Charlie to Alpha team's kids. Then five foot Berry burst into his life with her over the top personality and dazzling cinnamon eyes and he was fucked. She was eleven years his junior and quite simply the most impossible person he has ever met. Rachel is stubborn, abrasive, slightly selfish and high maintenance.

She was also passionate about everything and anyone she cared for. Under all her crazy she could be the kindest and most loyal friend. She made him laugh and he could talk to her about anything. More and more he found himself wondering what it would be like to settle down and maybe have a few kids. When Grey thought about his future it always seemed that Rachel was a part of it. In fact when he had been close to death the one thing he wanted most was to hear Rachel's voice and see her cinnamon eyes one last time.

Before long the plane was beginning it's decent into the Dayton, OH airport and Rachel's stomach was in knots. Coming home was never an easy thing. It was home but then again it wasn't. She felt like a stranger in a familiar place. She had grown up in Lima, went to school there and even fell in love there. But now home was not the beautiful two story colonial her fathers had raised her in. No, home was the three bedroom townhouse near base she shared with Hector and Charlie.

"Betty Blue and Starlight will take a rental car and drive to Lima from here. The rest of us will get a hotel here and work on doing some surveillance of the surrounding areas. Kayla will contact the happy couple tomorrow morning with the day's color and code word." Jonas hands out assignments easily and hopes that this mission ends with his team intact and the innocent civilians alive.

Once the plane lands the team goes their separate ways and assumes the covers that they have been given. "Hold up Star…it's time for me to make an honest woman out of you." Charlie pulls a small yellow envelope from his pocket and pulls out three rings. A simple band of white gold for him and a very nice two carat princess cut solitaire and matching wedding band for Rachel.

A strange thrill passes through Rachel as Charlie slides the sparkling diamond on her slender finger. She couldn't suppress the goofy grin from spreading on her face. "Diamonds really are a girl's best friend even if they are Unit issued." Rachel sighs softly and looks at her hand and then to Charlie. His expression was unreadable. Something had flashed in his eyes and she couldn't quite place it.

On the drive to Lima Rachel spoke with her fathers. They were surprised and thankful for the Alaskan cruise vacation. Both her fathers had vacation time saved up and were eager to have a second honeymoon. They had briefly separated a year ago and were now trying to rediscover that spark they had for each other. This vacation would be a perfect way for them to spend some much needed down time together. Rachel chatted a while longer with them until it was time for them to board their plan.

A weight had lifted from her shoulders once she knew that they were finally flying out of Ohio. She would be able to focus completely on the mission now and not have to worry about dealing with her parents meddling. The drive to Lima went by quicker than Rachel had wanted. She wasn't entirely ready to be thrust back into her former life.

Before long they were pulling into the all too familiar drive way of her childhood home. The place still looked the same. It was the typical suburban dream home complete with green shutters and flower boxes. Rachel and Charlie get out of their rental car and grab their go bags from the back seat. Rachel quickly finds the spare key under the welcome mat and lets herself in with Charlie following her close behind.

The house is exactly as Rachel remembers it with dark glossy hardwood floors and crisp crème colored décor. The floor plan was open giving the home a nice airy feeling. "Whoa Rach…this place is beautiful." Charlie takes a look around and is impressed with the large modern kitchen with its stainless steel appliances. "Now this is a kitchen. I could really cook in a kitchen like this." Rachel smiles at Grey's expression of a kid in a candy store. Charlie is an amazing cook but the small kitchen in their townhouse was not adequate enough for his talent.

"C'mon Carlito, I'll show you to the guest room." Rachel grabs Charlie's hand and has to practically drag him out of the kitchen. The feel of his smooth caramel skin under her fingertips has her mind wondering what it would feel like to have the rest of his skin pressed close against her own. Rachel tries hard not to blush at her thoughts.

"So you don't want to share a room with me, wifey…That hurts babe." Charlie flashes one of his trademark smirks complete with dimples at Rachel and she nearly melts. Now Charlie wasn't what most would call classically handsome. He was short, just several inches taller than Rachel but was more rugged and masculine than most of the males Rachel had dated. His constant five o'clock shadow, unruly black curls and smoldering chocolate eyes added to his appeal. He was also too damn charming for his own good and his smirk was damn sexy. It was a smirk that could make even the most prudish woman strip off her clothes and beg for the sex to be dirty and he knew it.

"You're incorrigible Charlie." Rachel smiles widely and sways her hips just a little more as she sashays her way upstairs to the guest room. Charlie groans at the sight or her jean clad rear swaying hypnotically in front of him. This was going to be a long mission. Most missions he was busy defusing bombs or gathering intel or being a bodyguard but this time he was playing Rachel's loving hubby and he was certain he'd have a hard time keeping his hands to himself.

Once they were both settled in their separate rooms the two decide to freshen up and go out to grab a bite to eat. After her shower Rachel threw on her favorite pair of dark skinny jeans, a black off the shoulder belted tunic and a pair of black flats. She pulled her mahogany curls into a low side pony and swiped on her favorite nude lip gloss. She finished her look with a little mascara to make her eyes pop. Rachel didn't know why she was trying so hard but a part of her wanted to look good for Charlie.

She found Grey waiting for her in the living room. He looked good in his navy button up with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and a pair of dark boot cut jeans. Charlie's well-worn black leather coat made him look even more tempting than before. "Looking good Berry." Grey loved the way her eyes lit up whenever she received a compliment. It was as if she didn't quite believe that she was as beautiful as others thought she was.

They were seated quickly at Breadsticks, the local Italian restaurant and Charlie was a little skeptical about the place. Of course Rachel had to have the last word and spoke at length about the fabulousness of the local favorite. Grey let the tinybeauty have her say and just enjoyed the downtime they were having because tomorrow was going to be a long day.

Rachel and Charlie finished their in Charlie's opinion mediocre meal with a far better desert than he anticipated. The three layer chocolate cake had Rachel's eye rolling into the back of her head. With each bite the petite brunette moaned in delight causing Grey to squirm in his seat. The diva really didn't have an idea just how sexy she truly was.

Just as they were done with dinner and about to leave Rachel bumps into none other than the glee club's resident bitch Santana Lopez. The fiery Latina's brown eyes widen in surprise as she takes in a grown up version of 'man hands'. "Holy shit…Rachel Berry where the fuck have you been?" Rachel just smiles and is at a complete loss for words. Her mind is drawing a blank as the stunning former cheerleader eyes her intently.

"Pardon my wife. She's a little jet lag from our flight. I'm Sergeant First Class Charles Black, Rachel's husband." Charlie holds out his hand and grins charmingly at Santana. Now this sexy siren was definitely the type of woman that usually caught Charlie's attention but recently he only had eyes for his partner in crime Rachel. The former cheerio shakes his hand firmly and watches as Rachel blushes slightly.

"A fucking army wife Berry, I was sure you were in New York annoying the hell out of people on Broadway." Santana quips easily and Grey bites his tongue as Rachel regains her ability to speak.

"Well I met Charlie when he was on leave in New York and he just swept me off my feet. It was love at first sight…wasn't it sweetie." Rachel coos lovingly and wraps her tiny arms around Charlie's waist. She was grasping at straws and hoped that Charlie would take her lead. They hadn't even had time to come up with a back story for their cover and Rachel was hoping to convince Santana that her and Grey were happily married.

"Of course it was doll face. You know I just took one look at her on stage belting out_ 'tonight'_ from west side story and I knew she was the one for me. Asked her to marry me a week later and been together ever since." Grey beams like a proud husband and Santana seems impressed. Rachel's heart races at Charlie's statement. He knew her so well and knew that West Side Story was by far her favorite musical.

"Well damn girl…that's awesome. So I take it you're here for the wedding. It's the only reason I'm back too. Who can say no to Mr. Shue? " Santana then rambles on about her life since high school. Dave Karofsky and she started their own private security company aptly named 'Bully Whips' in Cincinnati that provided bouncers and bodyguards for night clubs and local government officials. They're both out and proud now and she still keeps in contact with most of the glee clubbers.

They chat for a few minutes more about Rachel's surprise domestic bliss and agree to have a drink at the bridal shower in a few days. By the time Rachel makes it back to her parents' home she is exhausted. She bids Charlie a good night and climbs into her old bed and is out by the time her head hits the pillow. Most nights she's able to sleep but there are times when nightmares cause her to jump up from her bed in a cold sweat.

Each mission was different, some were easy and some just leave her hanging on by a thread. The first time she had to take a life left Rachel in tears for three days and she swore there was something fundamentally wrong with her and that the unit was better off without her. After her pity party Jonas had taken her aside and told her that if she hadn't cried then that would have been something to worry about.

Most of her nightmares centered on the _incident_ or her fist kill shot but tonight's dream had her reliving the day she realized just how much Charlie meant to her. Eight months ago they were on a retrieval mission in Beirut, Lebanon when the extraction of the captive journalist went to shit. Rachel had been shot in right her bicep and Charlie had taken two bullets to the chest and the journalist had been brainwashed by his kidnappers into thinking that they were the enemy.

Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. They were holed up in a tiny apartment with a frightened family watching in horror as Hector worked diligently to keep Betty Blue alive and there were a few moments when things didn't look so good for him. Mack had haphazardly wrapped her arm tightly to slow the bleeding but all she cared about was Charlie.

They didn't have much time and the extraction point was several clicks away. The tension was mounting and Charlie had even told his team to leave him behind and save themselves from the incoming insurgents that were hunting Alpha team down. Rachel stubbornly refused to leave his side not wanting her friend to die alone in that godforsaken place. It was then that she realized that she couldn't picture her life without him in it.

Rachel stumbles out of her bed with her heart racing and her breathing shallow. The image of Charlie going down after getting shot and the blood oozing from his wounds has Rachel's head spinning. In her dreams Grey doesn't make it and neither does Hector who was shot in the shoulder by a sniper as they were loading themselves into the Marine's Humvee that had surprisingly came to their rescue thanks to Mack's distress call. If the bullet had been just a few inches over Hector would have been killed instantly.

She shakily makes her way down the hall to the guest room and quietly let's herself into the dark guest room. Charlie wakes at the sound of the door shutting and sleepily watches Rachel walk over to the bed. He pulls down the covers and not having to say a word; Rachel climbs in next to him. This isn't the first time Rachel couldn't sleep and needed a friend to comfort her. Charlie pulls her closer and Rachel calms her racing heart.

The tiny brunette lays her head on his chest and lets her small fingertips graze the two scars left on his chest by the bullets. They were not his only scars but they were the ones that could have taken him away. This was part of Unit life. The danger and uncertainty of whether or not they would be coming home came with the scars. Rachel had a few of her own, the bullet she had taken in Beirut and a stab wound to her torso she suffered in the jungles of Peru last year.

Charlie grabs her hand and places it on his heart. She can feel the steady beat under her palm and she relaxes just a little. "I'm still here and so is Hector Rach. You can't get rid of us that easily." Charlie places a soft kiss to the top or her head and holds her until she falls asleep. It's moments like these that have him wanting more than just a friendship with Rachel.

The next morning Rachel stumbles down the stairs to the kitchen and incoherently mumbles good morning to Charlie as she sleepily reaches for a cup of coffee from the counter. She hops up on the counter and swings her fluffy pink slipper clad feet back and forth as she sips her black coffee. She sighs happily as the caffeine wakes her up.

Rachel watches Charlie finish cooking some bacon and eggs and enjoys the rare quite moment in her hectic life. All that was missing was Hector sitting at the kitchen table doing a crossword puzzle and it almost felt like home. Her Unit issued phone beeps and Rachel quickly answers the call. "Go for Berry."

Charlie watches Rachel chat with Kayla back at TOC while dishing out the food he made. He could really get use to a kitchen like this. He could also get use to Rachel living with him without Hector. Just the two of them in a nice house on base, maybe on the same street as Jonas and Bob and maybe even a have couple of kids. The only problem with that scenario was one of them would have to leave the unit and neither of them seemed ready to do that just yet.

"Roger that Kayla. Starlight out." Rachel ends her call and hops down off the counter. She takes a seat at the island across from Charlie and digs in immediately into her breakfast. Rachel had long ago given up her vegan diet. Let's just say arguing with the Drill Sargent during boot camp about her special diet had earned her more push-ups than she had ever done in her lifetime.

"Today's color is yellow, the animal of the day is the mustang and our code word is snowflake." Charlie nods his head at Rachel and both continue to eat their breakfast. Once the food is eaten and the dishes are done the two operators get ready for their day. Both are dressed casually like any young couple.

Grey in a pair of jeans and black t-shirt and Rachel in a simple plum wrap dress and black ballet flats. Both are packing which has become second nature to them. Grey's 9 is concealed on his back under his shirt and a .22 strapped to his ankle. Rachel's 9 is strapped to her thigh which Grey finds extremely sexy and the lose fabric of her dress keeps it hidden from view.

The two Unit members head over to the wedding venue and pose as a couple who interested in having their ceremony there. They need to scope out the place and think like the bad guy would. They have to figure out how an attack could take place there and what needs to be done to prevent it. Rachel is anxious about the next few days. Running into Santana had stirred up feelings she hadn't felt in a long time. She just needed to remind herself that she wasn't the same girl she had been. She had found in the unit the friends, family and acceptance she always craved.

They wait in the lobby for the bridal consultant and both take note of how many exits, windows and ceiling vents they can see. Rachel makes a mental note to have Kayla e-mail her copies of the building's blueprints. Rachel's thoughts are interrupted by the clearing of someone's throat.

"Oh my god, Rachel Berry." The voice is familiar and Rachel is shocked to hear the amount of warmth and friendliness that is being directed towards her. The blonde standing in front of her usually held nothing but contempt for Rachel. Granted Rachel did do everything she could to steal away her boyfriend.

"Quinn…it's good to see you." Rachel calls on all of her acting ability to muster up a genuine smile for the former ice queen of William McKinley High. Quinn smiles and lets her green eyes wonder over to the latino man standing next to Rachel. The cool blonde notices the wedding bands on each of their hands and her eyebrows quirk up in surprise.

"It's good to see you too Rachel. I take it congratulations are in order." Quinn gestures to the gleaming rock on Rachel's left hand and the tiny diva smiles widely.

"Oh thanks. Umm…Quinn this is Charlie my husband." Rachel makes the introductions and Charlie is his usual charming self. Rachel explains that they are here for Mr. Shue's wedding and had wanted to check out the venue to see if it was right for their upcoming vow renewal. Quinn bought the cover story and explained that she was the head bridal consultant.

Rachel takes the lead and asks tons of questions about the venue and what it has to offer as Charlie slowly disappears out of the lobby and makes himself acquainted with the rest of the building. They are both wearing ear pieces so Rachel is able to hear Charlie inform her of every door, window and any other places a person could think to use to get in and sabotage the wedding.

Rachel is struggling talking to Quinn but hides it behind a mask of indifference. She's trying to get into the character of Mrs. Black but being thrust back to her hometown and into her old life has the diva barely able to hold on to her sanity. She wasn't ready to see all of the familiar faces from her past especially not Quinn Fabray.

Charlie manages to amble his way back to the lobby as Rachel's conversation begins to wind down. He notices just how different Rachel seems around the statuesque blonde. The brunette beauty is anxious and seems insecure from the way she is fidgeting with her dress. Rachel had always felt that she didn't quiet measure up to the former head cheerio. She sighs in relief as she spots Charlie across the room. He always manages to calm her down.

"I'd be more than happy to give you a tour tomorrow…I'm just swamped with last minute details for Mr. Shue's wedding that I have to take care of today but I'm free tomorrow afternoon." Quinn flashes her sweet smile and before Rachel can give her an answer the two ladies are interrupted by a male's voice calling Quinn's name in a loving manner.

Rachel feels like the wind has been knocked out of her. She should have known he would always choose Quinn over her. After the _incident_ he never quite looked at Rachel the same way. He had always wanted to be the knight in shining armor and he soon realized that Rachel was no longer the damsel in distress that he had wanted her to be. In all honesty he was actually kind of afraid of her after witnessing her ass kicking abilities first hand.

"Finn look who's here…its Rachel and she's brought her husband with her." Quinn says in the most saccharine girly voice that made Charlie want to gag from its mushiness. Rachel tires her hardest to avoid her once love's eyes but the pull to look his way was always a difficult one to ignore. Rachel's cinnamon eyes lock with Finn Hudson's puppy dog brown eyes and she immediately feels….

**A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger but I couldn't resist. Plus this chapter seemed to be never ending. Next up Rachel's reaction to Finn and some insight into Rachel and Charlie's history. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't Own Glee or The Unit. Thanks to those that reviewed. I'm still not getting them in my email so I just want to take the time to say thanks now. I really do appreciate it. Enjoy this next chapter. Please Review.**

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

**_Previously…_**

**_ Rachel's cinnamon eyes lock with Finn Hudson's puppy dog brown eyes and she immediately feels…_**

Rachel was shocked to discover that she felt nothing for her former love. It was as if he hadn't once been the only thing that Rachel had wanted more than Broadway. There were no more butterflies as his eyes met her gaze and the longing in her heart when they were apart no longer plagued her. Finn Hudson would be swept into her past and looked fondly on as one does when reminiscing about their youth. The revelation was a bittersweet one for Rachel. She had been so positive that Finn would at least hold a small part of her heart forever.

"Hey Rach. You look great…how you been?" The tall former football player smiles his signature sheepish grin that Rachel had loved so much but did nothing for her now. Now it would only be a smirk and dimples that would have the tiny diva's heart skipping a beat.

"I'm great Finn. It's good to see you again." Rachel smiles her megawatt I'm a star smile that she had spent years perfecting. The awkward tension could be cut with a knife. Charlie takes Quinn aside so that the two former sweethearts could talk privately. The last time Rachel had spoken to Finn had been the night they broke up for the final time. It was the middle of senior year and Rachel was facing a major crossroads in her life. She had two paths to consider, Julliard or the Unit.

_**Past…**_

That day of the _incident_ had replayed itself in her mind several times a day. The rush of adrenalin coursing through her veins made her feel more alive than singing on stage ever could and that was a bit disconcerting for the tiny star. Her dreams of stardom were becoming murkier and murkier by the day. Colonel Tom Ryan's offer of a spot in his Unit of elite soldiers was more tempting than she had realized. She couldn't seem to get the promise of a different future for herself out of her mind.

Immediately after the EMT's had checked Rachel for injuries she was ushered quickly over to Jonas Blane. The tall Unit leader stared down the petite beauty with his typical cool demeanor. It took a lot to surprise Sergeant Major Jonas Blane and Rachel had given the man the shock of his life. He still couldn't wrap his head around what had just taken place. Jonas wouldn't have believed it if you told him but he was there and there was no denying what had transpired.

He didn't know what to make of the tiny brunette that was clutching Betty Blue's arm desperately. She was a walking contradiction. Tiny and fragile with large soulful brown eyes but also a fierce fighter with a natural born killer instinct. Colonel Ryan himself had to meet Rachel and see for himself the tiny slip of a girl that could take down two armed men twice her size. He had watched the video footage and was still completely flabbergasted by what he saw.

Rachel was swept away quickly to meet with the tough as nails colonel. Her fathers were told that they needed Rachel to give a proper statement and would be returned as soon as possible. The diva was put on a transport plane with the Unit and whisked away to Fort Griffith to meet with Colonel Ryan. She clutched Charlie's hand the whole way. He was the only thing keeping Rachel from completely breaking down.

"What's your name? I'm Rachel Barbara Berry, future tony wining Broadway star and under appreciated glee club co-captain." Rachel was slowly gaining back her sense of stability with each passing moment. She attributed that to the man sitting next to her. Rachel couldn't quite figure him out. He seemed gruff and hotheaded but yet held her hand reassuringly the whole time without complaint.

Grey couldn't help but smile widely at the dark haired girl. She was definitely not like anyone he's ever met. She was confident and slightly abrasive with her rambling words and manic over the top smile. "Betty Blue is what you can call me or Mr. Black." Charlie hated the slight frown playing on her full lips. He knew he couldn't reveal his real name to her. As far as anyone outside of the unit was concerned, Charles Grey was a ghost.

Rachel searched the soldier's eyes for any hint of mischief. She didn't want to believe that his was making fun of her by lying about his name. But the look in his dark eyes proved that there were just some things he wouldn't be able to tell her. "Ok Blue…it's nice to make your acquaintance. I also would like to take this time to express my heartfelt gratitude for the heroic measures you displayed in saving my life. When I'm retelling my life story to Barbara Walters I'll be sure to tell them of your unwavering bravery." Rachel squeezed his rough calloused hand just a little tighter and beamed another bright smile at him.

Charlie chuckled softly. "Star, do you always use so many words when one would do the job?" Rachel frowns again and blinks her large brown eyes several time to keep from tearing up. Grey sighs softly and holds her tiny soft hand a little more tightly. This would be the first of many conversations the two would have about their life, Grey's past and Rachel's future. It was also the first time he used Star as her nickname. "Hey…it's not a bad thing. I barely made it out of high school, so you got to speak simply for this old gang banger here." Charlie flashes his dimples her way and Rachel instantly feels better.

The two chat quietly as Rachel ask an abundant amount of questions about Charlie's life before the army. She discovered that he was an only child like herself and that his mom raised him on his own. He grew up in a poor part of L.A. and had joined a gang by the time he was fourteen. The tiny diva had to hold back her tears when she learned that his mom passed away when he was barely seventeen and he had promised her before she died that he would make something of his life. A week later he and his homeboy were busted robbing a corner store but he managed to out run the cops. Two days later he was on a bus out of town and headed for boot camp with his mom's last words running through his head. He never looked back.

Of course Rachel had outlined her future starting with Julliard and ending with her lifetime achievement Oscar acceptance speech. Rachel rambled on about her two gay dads and how Shelby had decided not to be a part of her life. She assured Blue that she would not let her mother's rejection get the best of her and that even though Shelby had adopted her ex-boyfriends baby, in the end her life would go on the way it was meant to be. Grey was amused by her tenacious attitude but admired her for rolling with the punches. He had no doubt that she would accomplish every goal she set out for herself.

Before long Rachel was once again whisked away quickly into a large nondescript barracks building, one she would come to be all too familiar with after high school. Inside a small classroom type room waited Colonel Tom Ryan. He managed to keep the shocked look off his face as the petite brunette hesitantly stepped in the room still holding onto Betty Blue's hand as if her life depended on it. She was far smaller than what she had appeared on screen. Even Carlito looked taller standing next to her and that was saying something.

"Rachel Barbara Berry, seventeen and a junior at William McKinley High, member of about every extracurricular club at the damn school and co-captain of the glee club. Fathers Richard and Benjamin Berry, mother Shelby Cochran and adopted sister Beth. Now I know everything to know about you Miss Berry but one thing. Where the hell did you get the balls to do what you did today?" His voice is gravelly and serious but his blue eyes are full of mirth as he stares at the tiny diva.

Rachel immediately rambles on about her krav maga training as well as her singing and acting lessons. In true Berry form she manages to give her whole life story in a matter of minutes. "Most of all I just couldn't watch Mr. Shue bleed to death. He's an amazing person and he's one of the few that truly believes in me and of course nationals is next week." Rachel bites her bottom lip waiting for the hard as nails soldier to respond.

"You got gumption kid and I like that about you." Colonel Ryan has always been a good judge of character and he could tell that Rachel Berry was something special. "I don't usually let women in my unit and my enemies know that but I'm willing to make an exception for you. They will never see you coming." Rachel knew he was being serious. The look of this man told her that he was not one to joke, at least not very often. He continued with explaining what becoming a unit member entailed. The tiny brunette suddenly felt overwhelmed and just a tiny bit curious about what the colonel was offering.

After the conversation was over the Colonel handed Rachel a plain white card with his name and number. He gave her strict instructions never to mention what she knows about the 303rd logistical studies group and if and when she decided to take him up on his offer he would help her every step of the way. Rachel felt her heart swelling at the faith that this stranger had in her. It was a first for the high maintenance beauty. Most who met her took an immediately dislike to her but these soldiers took all her crazy in stride.

The whole way back to Lima Rachel slept. The stress of the day had caught up to her and she curled up on the long bench seat with Blue's jacket to keep her warm. Jonas seeing how attached Rachel had become to Charlie had him accompany her back to Lima. Charlie took the quiet time to write in his small green notebook. Each poem centered on large cinnamon eyes.

The landing was a little rough and woke Rachel with a start. She looked around disoriented at first and Charlie couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked with messy hair and sleepy eyes. He pushed those thoughts aside, after all he was twenty eight and she was barely seventeen. "Your fathers are waiting for you at the gate." Rachel nodded and suddenly felt a pang of sadness at leaving Blue. He was her hero and she felt some kind of connection to him.

"So this is it then. I…thanks." Rachel decides to keep it simple for the former gang banger as he said earlier. Charlie smiles widely flashing the dimples Rachel had come to like in the short time she knew the handsome soldier. Charlie hastily scribbles something on a piece of his notebook paper and tears it haphazardly. He hands the torn paper to Rachel as she is ready to exit the cargo plane.

"If there is ever a time you need to just talk or anything really don't hesitate to use this. Depending on what you decide we just might be working together soon." Rachel takes the paper in her small hand and sees a cell number with Blue written in his messy handwriting. He doesn't know why he gives her his private cell number but something about this girl just makes him believe that She was going to be in his life whether he wanted her to be or not.

Rachel smiles widely and hugs Charlie as tight as her little arms can. His scent of soap and sandalwood calms her racing mind. Grey doesn't know what to make of this connection he has with Rachel. He's never been affected by someone the unit has saved. It was his job and when the job was done he'd just walk away but he didn't think he could walk away from her so easily. "Take care of yourself kid." With that Blue heads back into the plane and Rachel waves excitedly before running into her fathers' waiting arms.

It would be a few months before Rachel would use the number but it was comforting for her to know that Blue was there on the other end listening patiently to her and giving her advice when she needed it most. So as she neared the end of her senior year she called Blue more and more frequently then she had previously. But Blue was no help. He couldn't make the choice for her but said he would support whatever decision she made. The only real advice he offered her was to take a moment and close her eyes and picture what she expected her life to be like. The first image to come to her mind would be what she truly wanted for herself.

Rachel did as Blue told her and the moment she closed her eyes the image of her glammed up in a gorgeous evening gown looking like a star was nothing new for her. But what she wasn't expecting was the small handgun she slipped from her designer clutch. It was like a scene out of a mission impossible movie with Blue and the rest of the team in tuxes as they saved the day by stopping some arms dealer in a fancy casino.

It was then that Rachel knew where her future lye and Finn was just not a part of it. He had already expressed his desire to eventually take over Burt's auto shop and settle down. This was not what Rachel wanted. She loved Finn but she loved herself more. So with a heavy heart Rachel had ended things with Finn and wished him the best with his life. Of course Finn argued that with everything they had went through that it surely meant that they were meant to be.

In the end Rachel knew she made the right decision. Once graduation had passed and Rachel said her final goodbyes it was time for her to make the one call that would change her life forever. Colonel Ryan had answered the phone as if he were expecting Rachel to call. It was as if he had no doubt what the tiny diva would choose and for some odd reason it comforted Rachel and made her more confident in her choice.

Making the choice was easy but telling her fathers that she wasn't going to Julliard was nearly impossible for Rachel. She sucked up all the courage she could muster and had told her dads that she wanted to take some time off of school and take a trip around Europe to expand her horizons. Richard and Benjamin were hesitant at first but decided that Rachel could use the experience as a way to improve her acting and singing.

Rachel Packed her bags, gave both her dads hugs and kisses and promised to call and e-mail every chance she got. She tossed her bags into the trunk of the taxi and took one last look at her home. It would be the last time she felt that way about the house she was raised in. She never looked back.

_**Present….**_

"Can't believe your married now Rach. I thought you would be performing on Broadway. You were always so sure about that." Finn shoves his hands in his jean pockets and gives Rachel that I still think about you look he use to give her when they were broken up in high school.

"Yeah well things change. People grow up. Charlie makes me very happy. I love who I am when I'm with him." Rachel smiles and looks to the other side of the room where Quinn is talking with Charlie about how he managed to sweep Rachel off her feet. Charlie's eyes meet hers and she feels the fireworks that had been missing from her moment with Finn.

"Huh…I never thought I see the day Rachel Berry loves someone more than herself." Finn's comment hits Rachel hard. He didn't mean it to sound as bitter as it did but the unresolved feelings he has manages to taint his words.

"It was nice seeing you again Finn, but my husband and I really have to get going. I promised Santana that I would meet her for a drink later at the bridal shower. See you at the wedding." Rachel turns to storm out in one of her patented Berry moves that she still manages to do.

"Rach…wait. I didn't mean it like that. It's just a little hard seeing you look at him like that and knowing that I wasn't enough to keep you. I'm happy now with Quinn but I still wonder what if." Finn looks at Rachel and she knows what he's trying to say and she can see the hurt in his eyes at realizing that it took a better man than him to keep her from Broadway.

She wishes she can tell him the truth. Tell him that it wasn't a man but an opportunity to do something extraordinary with her life. Protecting her country and saving innocent lives. But she knows that even with the truth it still wouldn't change the fact that Rachel chose a different life than what he could have given her. He just wasn't enough. She knew it and he knew it.

Rachel gives him a sad smile and rushes to Charlie's side. She shares a few civil words with Quinn and the fake husband and wife leave. The whole way back to the Berry's home was quiet. Rachel was in no mood to deal with all the feelings seeing old faces from her past was bringing up. What had her really tied in knots was Finn's statement about how she looked at Charlie. She knew she was a good actress but she was questioning whether or not her true feelings were coming through and if Charlie could tell.

She knew he felt more than friendship for her but what she wasn't quite sure. There were moments the two shared that left her questioning their relationship. They had on two or more occasions drunkenly kissed and then acted as if nothing had ever happened the next morning. She knew he was jealous of Echo team's Oscar Rodriguez. Rachel had a brief romance with the fellow Unit member and Charlie didn't hide his disapproval of her relationship. Rachel herself had been jealous over Blue's numerous one night stands. But Rachel was becoming very good at pretending she wasn't in love with Charles Grey. How long she was able to keep that up was another issue entirely.

Grey leaves Rachel to her thoughts as they pull up to the Berry's home. The two change quickly into dark clothes and arm themselves accordingly. They need to check out Sue Sylvester's old house. It had been left abandoned these past seven years. So the two park down the street and walk through the thick trees behind the large house. Grey picks the lock on the back door and the two unit members pull out their nines and ease their way into the dark house.

Charlie goes first as Rachel has his back. They go room by room and clear the house. "Snake Doctor, this is Starlight the house is secured. It doesn't look like anyone's been here in a long time." Rachel holsters her sidearm and pulls out a flashlight. She begins to look through a dust covered desk while Charlie checks out the bedroom.

"Roger that Starlight. I need you and Betty Blue to gather what you can and the rest of your brothers will meet you at the party. Snake doctor out." Jonas went back to the blueprints that he was studying while Hector and Bob got dressed. The two unit members would be doing security on the inside of the bridal shower with Blue and Star. Him and Mack would be on the outside making sure nothing out of the ordinary would be taking place.

Rachel could find nothing except an alarming amount of trophies scattered about the whole house. It was Grey who discovered a box of journals written in Coach Sylvester's handwriting. "You know she was out her damned mind for a long ass time." Grey couldn't understand how someone like this could be left in charge of young kids. He tosses the book back in the box and lifts it easily. Rachel follows him out the back and to their car.

Rachel waits patiently as Charlie goes back for several more boxes. These will be given to Hector to go through in hopes of finding out where the crazed former cheer leading coach is. They head back to her house to get ready for the bridal shower. Once again they must prepare to play the happy couple.

Rachel puts on the red Prada cocktail dress and strappy black jimmy choos that Kayla had delivered this morning from the Unit stash. One of the perks of Unit life was the clothes and accessories provided for the more glamorous missions. Of course she had to give them back but it was still nice to have them for a little while. Rachel curls her hair and completes the look with smoky eyes and glossy lips.

Grey keeps it simple with a royal blue dress shirt, charcoal suit coat, dark jeans and black dress shoes. He hates getting dressed up but one look at Rachel and he could care less about what he was wearing or where they were going. She looks amazing in her deep crimson strapless dress. It was her legs that always garnered the most attention for Rachel. Grey couldn't quite figure out how someone so tiny could have legs that went on for days.

Grey fiddles with his suit coat as Rachel signs the guest book for the bridal shower. It was a jack and jill party so it would be interesting to see how the men acted through the night. "Don't fuss Blue. Just grab a beer and hang with the boys at the bar. Hector and Bob should be making their rounds soon." Rachel not really thinking about it pecks him softly on his full lips. A light blush tinges her cheeks when she pulls away and catches Charlie's eyes. His dimples come out in full force and Rachel can feel the butterflies go crazy in her stomach.

"Diva! I couldn't believe it when Finn told me he saw you this morning. It's been too long." Kurt coos adoringly and Rachel feels a pang of regret for missing so much with her once rival and friend. The fashionable young man hugs Rachel and cast approving blue eyes over Charlie's short frame. "And who is this dark handsome rugged man?" Before she can answer Kurt quickly grabs Rachel's left hand and ogles the shining diamond on her small finger. "Harry Winston. I approve. Kurt Hummel." Kurt holds his hand out for Charlie to shake.

"Sergeant First Class Charles Black. Nice to meet you." Grey shakes Kurt's hand firmly and the former glee clubber smirks in approval. Rachel rolls her eyes playfully at Kurt as Charlie wraps a strong arm around her waist pulling her closer hopefully coming off as a loving couple.

"It's so good to see you again Kurt." Rachel genuinely smiles as Kurt rambles on about his job as a stylist in New York and how he just styled Jennifer Lopez for her recent movie premier. "Wow Kurt…your life in New York sounds amazing." Rachel would be lying if she said a part of her wasn't jealous of Kurt's life.

"Charlie you're going to have to part with your lovely wife here for a while. The other ladies are here and we are dying to know what Mrs. Black here has been up to since high school." Kurt smiles widely and grabs Rachel's hand. Charlie kisses Rachel soundly on the lips leaving the diva breathless and blushing. He flashes his trademark smirk complete with dimples before heading to the bar which Hector Williams just happens to be tending.

The sable skinned unit member flashes his best friend a questioning look as he approaches the bar where the rest of the male wedding party is amassed. Hector hands him a corona and also manages to slip him a note with his beer. Charlie takes it and discretely reads the small note which informs him that the building was checked over and so far all looked good. Charlie crumples the paper and drops it into a cup of water that just happens to be sitting on the bar. Charlie watches as the paper dissolve leaving no trace of Hector's note.

"Charlie over here." Finn Hudson calls over to Grey. He grabs his beer and nods his head at Hector letting him know he read the note. The two unit members go their own ways as if they never knew each other. "Guys this is Rachel's husband Charlie….Charlie this is Mike, Puck, Artie, Sam, Matt and the groom Will." Finn is a little tipsy and a lot friendlier than he seemed this morning. Charlie says hi and shakes all their hands.

He answers the typical questions about him and Rachel but soon the conversation turns to sports and movies and other manly topics. Unfortunately for Rachel she was currently being grilled by the ladies and Charlie along with the rest of her team can hear it all through their ear pieces. Charlie tries not to eavesdrop too much but there are a few things that catch his attention.

"Alright spill. I want all the deets because if he can leave you breathless with just a kiss the sex must be phenomenal." Kurt grins as Rachel blushes even more as he drags her to the tables the girls are sitting at. Santana waves them over as Rachel catches the eye of her team mate Bob Brown. Rachel drops her clutch on the floor and Bob posing as a waiter hurriedly helps her pick up the spilled contents of her purse while slipping her a small note. Rachel reads it quickly and learns that all is ok for now. She drops the small square of paper into a cup on the tray Bob has and pushes her hair behind her ear signaling that she read the note.

Bob quickly disappears and Rachel is left to the wolves. At least that's how she feels. She takes a seat after hugging Tina, Mercedes, Brittney and Emma. Santana winks at her and Quinn smiles nicely at Rachel. "Ok enough with the pleasantries. I want to know about the sex. Is it as dirty as I think?" Rachel blushes furiously as she hears Charlie choke on his beer as Bob, Mack and Hector chuckle. Even Top laughs a little which makes it even worse for Rachel.

"Ohhh…it must be good if she's this quiet about it." Santana purrs with a mischievous smirk. Rachel gulps her glass of Merlot hoping the floor would just open up and swallow her whole.

"Easy on the booze Starlight. Don't want Carlito having to pick you up off the floor like the last day of dead." Hector chuckles in her ear. Rachel wishes she could just strangle the whole lot of them.

"What Charlie and I do in private is between the two of us. But to let you know he is a very good lover. The very best I've had." Rachel lets the lie slip easily over her lips. She's heard the stories about Charlie and his many conquests. He may not be the tallest or the handsomest but he makes up for it with his skills in the bedroom. Every time he kissed her Rachel could tell that if she let herself go there with him, he could make her feel like no man ever could.

The rest of the evening passes quickly. Mack and Jonas take turns walking the perimeter of the restaurant and Bob and Hector make sure the inside of the building is safe. Charlie keeps a sharp eye on the exits and the people that come and go through the entrances. Rachel also makes sure to watch the crowd but the several glasses of wine she has downed are making it hard for her to concentrate.

The ladies talk and laugh as they reminisce about their high school days. Rachel learns that Mercedes and Sam are still going strong and have a two year old daughter Malania. The cute picture of a mocha skinned little girl with caramel curls and blue eyes passes around the table. Tina then fishes out a picture of her two boys she has with none other than Noah Puckerman. Rachel feels like an outsider as her friends talk about their lives. Brittney is still single and so is Santana. Quinn talks about her upcoming nuptials. Rachel smiles and offers a few details of her fake life and drinks another glass of wine. This was going to be a long night.

**A/N: Please Review. Up next Sue makes a move.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I don't own Glee or The Unit**.** I'm really happy you guys are enjoying this. I'm loving writing this. Thanks to those of you that took the time to review. I really appreciate it. This chapter has some lemony fun in it. Just warning you guys. This story is rated M for a reason. Please Review.**

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

Once the attention focuses on Emma the night goes exponentially better for Rachel. The men join the woman and the conversations become more rambunctious. Rachel has to suffer through some embarrassing stories of her youth, including tales of her catholic school girl wardrobe and slushy facials.

But the diva takes it all in stride. Once dinner was done Emma and Will open their gifts and some of the presents have the ginger beauty blushing furiously. Santana's gift has left almost everyone speechless. Rachel wasn't sure if Emma was supposed to turn Will on or beat the crap out of him.

Rachel was thankful that Kayla had sent over a two hundred dollar gift card for Victoria Secret's along with her dress because the tiny diva was not very skillful in picking out gifts for others. She has always been all about herself.

The night was winding down and so far everything has gone off without a hitch. Rachel was happy that she hadn't had to use the nine strapped to her thigh. All in all it was a good time had by everyone. Even if sitting at a table with several of her exes was enough to keep her blushing for hours and giving enough ammunition for the Unit to use when picking on the youngest member of the team.

The large group spills out of the front of the restaurant and boisterously says their goodbyes. Rachel promises to attend the bachelorette party and hugs Emma tightly. While pulling away Rachel hears the unmistakable pop of gunfire before feeling the burning pain of a bullet grazing her hip. The crowd disperses hysterically and Charlie rushes to Rachel's side while pulling his gun from his back. Rachel instinctively reaches for her gun but Charlie stops her. Too many questions would be asked about why Rachel has a gun.

It's chaos as bullets keep flying. Charlie keeps his eyes peeled for the shooter but whoever it is, is smart enough to take cover in the thick trees surrounding the building. The unit had been so focused on the inside of the restaurant that they hadn't looked too deep into the woods. Jonas barks orders as he tries to keep the civilians out of harm's way.

Charlie drags Rachel behind a large pillar in front of the building. He discharges several shots towards the general direction of the incoming fire as does Mack and Bob who have taken cover behind a shiny black escalade. What seems like hours only takes a few minutes. Grey is out of ammo quicker than he likes. Rachel meanwhile is itching to take her gun out and get a few good shots in. She's never been one to back down during a shootout.

The tiny brunette hates playing the damsel in distress but knows she can't blow their cover so she clings to Charlie and cries on cue. She plays the part of injured heroine to a tee. It's one of her best performances if she does say so herself.

"Snake Doctor this is Betty Blue, Starlight's been hit. Request the assistance of Hammerhead." Charlie looks over Rachel's injury and sees that it looks a lot worse than it really is. He pulls his jacket off and uses it to apply pressure to the bleeding wound.

Charlie watches as the crowd scatters and sees Mack and Bob race towards the pop of gunfire. She feels a pang of jealousy, wishing she could be right alongside them instead of playing a helpless female.

"Roger that Betty Blue. Hammerhead is securing the perimeter and will meet you back at the safe house. Cool Breeze and Dirt Diver are checking out the woods. I'll be here to do damage control. Snake doctor out." Jonas goes into boss mode and tries to keep the crowd under control as the local police show up. It's his job to keep their cover intact as he comes up with a story of why he and his men are there.

Blue takes this opportunity to get Rachel to their car so that he can drive her back to her parents' house as soon as possible. He speeds his way towards the large house as Rachel breathes through the stinging pain in her hip. This isn't the first time she's been shot but it still is something no one ever gets use too. Rachel silently curses whoever shot at her, mostly because the expensive dress she is wearing is ruined forever and Rachel had hoped to convince Kayla to let her keep it.

Charlie haphazardly parks in the driveway before grabbing a black bag from the backseat. He goes over to Rachel's side of the car just as Hector pulls in behind them. Charlie is grateful that his brother in arms is here to stitch Rachel up. If it was left to him he would surely leave a noticeable scar on her hip. Stitches were not his forte.

Hector is a far better medic then he is. The man had saved his life in the most impossible of situations with his skills in combat surgery. Charlie's specialty was explosives. He could build them and diffuse them better than the most trained civilians. Bob was the sniper in the group and never missed a target. His aim was deadly. Mack, the hothead was the muscle of the team and no one wanted to get stomped by the fierce red head. Jonas on the other hand was calm, cool and collected. He was a natural born leader with the right amount of charisma and authority making him the perfect unit leader.

When Rachel joined the unit she rounded them out by being the perfect undercover. She was a natural grifter as Mack had told her once and he had taught her to pick a pocket with ease. Rachel was also a chameleon thanks to her years of acting lessons. She could transform herself into many different characters and blended with ease into any situation. They all fit together like a puzzle. Each piece had a purpose and complemented each other perfectly.

Rachel hisses sharply as Hector lifts her slight frame easily from the car. Charlie leads the way in the house carrying the large medical bag. Hector takes Rachel into the kitchen as Grey drops the bag and heads to his room and grabs a white t-shirt for Rachel.

Meanwhile Hector delicately pulls the ruined Prada dress off of Rachel leaving her in only her black strapless bra and boy short panties. He then unstraps her gun from her thigh and lastly Rachel kicks off her expensive shoes.

Rachel has long ago gotten used to being sans clothes around these men. There was no time for modesty on missions when your life depended on quickly changing clothes to suit the situation. She has also seen all of them in various stages of undress especially living with Hector and Charlie.

"Well, it looks like the bullet just grazed you and the bleeding has lessened but it's still deep. You'll need several stitches." Hector grabs his supplies from the bag and sets up his things and disinfects his hands while Charlie comes back into the kitchen.

Grey helps Rachel onto the island and eases her into a lying down position. Rachel grips his hand while Hector deeply cleans her wound and begins stitching her up. Each pull of the needle through her skin sends a shock of pain through her body.

This wasn't the first time she's received stitches without anesthesia and probably won't be her last. A few tears seep from her eyes and into her dark curls as she soldiers through the pain while clutching Blue's hand tightly. Charlie holds her hand like he had done all those years ago the day they met. Rachel finds comfort in the simple gesture. He begins singing a familiar tune and Rachel smiles despite the pain.

"I go out walkin', after midnight, out in the moonlight, just like we used to do…" Charlie's voice is gruff and low but manages to soothe Rachel. Hector soon joins in and Rachel relaxes some more. The song is always sung when one of the members of the unit is hurt or in distress. Hector is to blame for the unusual tradition since he is the Patsy Cline fan. It just helps ease the tension.

"I'm always walkin', after midnight searching for you; I walk for miles along the highway…" Rachel continues to breathe through the pain and focuses on the sound of her two best friends. Their voices are low and unpolished but still pleasing to the ears. "Well that's just my way of saying I love you, I'm always walkin' after midnight Searching for you." Rachel joins in and softly rasps the last verse as Hector finishes up.

Rachel winces as Hector helps her sit up. He checks over her hip to make sure the stitches are holding then takes a syringe and injects Rachel with some antibiotics. He tells her to take some Motrin for the pain and to keep the bandage dry. He also promises to check her hip tomorrow. Rachel hugs him tightly and he kisses the top of her head in his brotherly way. "That's my brave girl. Get some rest." Rachel smiles warmly at Hector before he leaves.

Hector takes Charlie aside and makes him promise not to give her anything stronger than Motrin because of the alcohol she had earlier. Charlie agrees and walks Hector out of the house. He'll report back to Top that Star is fine and the group will meet up at the hotel to go over strategies in the morning.

Grey hurries back to the kitchen to help Rachel down from the island. The tiny brunette relishes the feel of his hands on her waist. Charlie tries to ignore the fact the Rachel is half naked but it's hard not to stare at her soft curves encased in black lace.

He wets a kitchen towel and hands it to Rachel. She uses it to clean the dry blood from her leg. When Rachel is done Charlie hands her his white t-shirt. Rachel quickly puts on the t-shirt and the smell of sandalwood invades her senses. She loves his clean and masculine scent. "C'mon Star. You need to take it easy." Grey ushers Rachel to the living room and deposits her gently on the couch.

She knows what he's doing. He'll clean up the kitchen then make her some hot cocoa with just a hint of cayenne pepper just the way she likes it and then pop in West Side Story into the dvd player. The guys always do this for her when she's sick, hurt or just had a bad break up.

In those instances of a really bad break up Mack offers the use of his throw away gun which instantly makes Rachel feel better. Suffice it to say Rachel's luck with men has not improved since high school. Most of her relationships never get past a second date. She's usually called away on a mission and by the time she comes back the guy has already moved on.

A select few that have lasted more than a few dates usually stop returning her calls once they meet her teammates. The five men in her life manage to intimidate any fella they deem unworthy of their Star.

Charlie for the most part has kept quiet about most of her relationships except one. He detested Echo team's Oscar Rodriguez simply because Rachel and the tall handsome latino were very serious. So serious that Kim, Bob's wife was getting ready to plan an engagement party.

Rachel and Charlie had fought more during the whole ordeal than any other time in the years they knew each other. Of course Oscar was equally jealous of Charlie. He knew that there was something between the two alpha team members. Rachel hated being put in the position of having to choose who to spend time with.

Grey seeing what it was doing to Rachel had slowly begun to withdraw himself from her life and Rachel was furious. He was after all her best friend, roommate and hero. Charlie was such a huge part of her life and when the ultimatum was given Rachel chose Blue without hesitation. She loved Oscar but couldn't imagine having a life without Charlie in it. The break up was less than amicable.

Oscar had decided to spread very explicit details of their relationship around and Rachel was humiliated by the betrayal. She was the only female member of the Unit and she met with her fair share of sexist behavior but the cat calling and whistling had taken a much more dramatic turn after her break up with Oscar.

Alpha team wanted blood. Jonas and Mack had grown to love Rachel as one of their own. Bob and Hector had adopted her like a little sister and Charlie whether he wanted to admit it or not was deeply in love with her.

Rachel had decided to keep silent and not give them the satisfaction of seeing her getting worked up. Of course she did take a certain amount of pleasure from seeing several of the men along with Oscar sporting bruises, broken noses, and black eyes they did not have before. Rachel knew that her boys had a hand in their injuries. And shortly thereafter the sexual harassment ceased.

Rachel pulls the throw blanket on the sofa around her and cuddles deep into the plush cushions. Charlie comes into the living room holding a mug and a DVD. Rachel smiles warmly as he hands her the mug. She takes a deep sip as Blue pops in the movie.

He starts the film then leaves to change out of his blood stained clothes. Rachel drinks some more of her cocoa as the film begins to play. The pain in Rachel's hip is slightly easing thanks to the motrin Hector gave to her but she still feels sore. She knows there will be a terrible bruise on her hip when she wakes in the morning.

Charlie returns in ten minutes dressed in a pair of dark blue track pants and no shirt. This wasn't the first time Rachel has seen him dress this way but the tattoo around his navel always seems to catch her attention. He had gotten it while he was a gang banger and the simple Spanish phrase 'mi vida loca' (my crazy life) seemed to fit him perfectly. Rachel takes another deep sip from her mug as Blue flops down on the other side of the couch.

Charlie watches her as she stares at the screen. She's watching the movie but not really paying attention. He can tell Rachel is thinking too much like she tends to do when she's feeling overwhelmed. Grey sits up and takes the lukewarm mug from her hand and places it on the coffee table. He pulls her towards himself and lays back on the couch with Rachel securely wrapped in his arm.

Rachel relaxes as she is pressed close to his bare chest. Charlie tucks her head under his chin and both turn their attention to the movie. Rachel lets her small fingertips brush the smooth scar tissue of his bullet wound just under his heart as Grey twirls a silky dark curl around his finger while his other hand rubs soothing circles around the bandage of her sore hip. Rachel melts instantly at his touch. It's moments like these that Rachel knows that their relationship is anything but platonic.

Charlie's tired of fighting what he feels for Rachel. He's been foolishly trying to hold on to his terminal bachelorhood when all he really wants is her. It's hard to deny what he feels when she's so close to him and the almond scent of her hair makes him dizzy in a good way.

Charlie sits up and Rachel looks at him with large questioning eyes the color of cinnamon. Rachel holds her breath because she knows what he's thinking. Everything to know about Blue is in his deep dark eyes.

Before she can exhale Charlie's hands are tangled in her hair and he's stealing the breath from her. His full lips are delicious and Rachel eagerly responds to his hungry kisses.

This isn't like the other kisses they have shared. They are not kissing for show to keep their cover and these aren't the drunken crashing of lips, teeth and tongue after a long night at some dingy bar. This is just a man and a woman giving and taking all that the other has to offer.

Before long Rachel's shirt and bra are tossed aside and she's straddling his lap. The pain in her hip is long forgotten as Charlie runs his rough hands over the bare skin of her back. His slow appraisal of her body is as infuriating as it is pleasurable. He leans forward and places a gentle kiss on the swell of Rachel's right breast.

She sighs at the soft feel of his lips against her skin and she tangles her fingers in his soft black hair. Grey slowly and tortuously kisses his way up her breast to her shoulder completely ignoring where Rachel really wants his mouth. The rough stubble on his chin scratches her smooth skin in the most delicious way and has Rachel making the most addicting breathy moans.

It's torture, pure sinful torture. Neither one wants to rush whatever this is between them. It's been so long since Rachel has had any attention from the opposite sex. Since Beirut Rachel's focus had been on her missions and Blue. Charlie's had women since his brush with death but each time he felt like it was wrong somehow, as if he were cheating on Rachel. So for the past three months he's been practically celibate and spending all his time focusing on his job or Star.

Frustrated Rachel pulls Charlie's lips to her own and feverishly kisses him. They continue their frantic kissing and groping. Hours could have passed and neither would have known. All that mattered was this moment between two lovers. Rachel's skin tingles in the most wondrous way. She was hyper aware of every inch of Blue's body pressed close to hers as he nips and sucks the tender flesh of her neck and shoulders.

"Please…Charlie…." Rachel's voice is low and husky and Charlie feels like he's going to burst like a teenager dry humping his prom date. He knows what she's asking and he'd be lying if he said he hasn't been dreaming about it for a long time. Charlie easily lays her on her back then slowly kisses his way down her smooth creamy skin. He places several gentle kisses on her bandaged hip before slowly sliding her lacy boy shorts down her long silky legs.

He kisses his way back up her warm flesh and Rachel huffs in annoyance as Charlie kisses the sensitive spot just below her ear. "I hate you right now…I…huh…really do." Rachel groans as he slowly slides his rough hand between her welcoming thighs. She's warm, wet and so tight and she feels so much more amazing than his imagination could have ever dreamed up. He's in heaven as he dips his fingers inside of her while rubbing his thumb over her sensitive bundle of nerves.

He wants her falling over the edge before he buries himself deep inside of her. Rachel moans loudly, she's always been a vocal person as Charlie pumps his fingers in and out in the most delicious way. Rachel's so close she can feel her thigh muscles begin to tighten and the coil in her lower belly begin to snap. Grey swallows her loud moans with his lips as the warm juices flow from her core while her slick walls clench his fingers tightly.

Charlie kisses her lips softly as Rachel comes down from her high. He can't help himself as he licks his fingers clean. Rachel's eyes darken as she watches him do the most erotic thing she's ever seen. "I've wanted to taste you for so long." Charlie groans at the sight of her flushed skin, swollen lips and hooded eyes. Grey hurriedly discards the rest of his clothes and rests his weight on her warm body careful not to put too much pressure on her hip.

Rachel runs her tiny hands along his strong back as Charlie pulls her leg higher up on his waist as he thrusts deep inside her warmth. The mix of pain from her hip and pleasure from Charlie filling her so completely leaves Rachel breathless. "Fuck Star you feel so good. So good." Blue's voice is rough and low and Rachel loves the way it makes her feel like a flame has been lit in her stomach as the warmth spreads through her whole body.

Just as he's about to pull out and thrust in again Grey's Unit issued phone beeps loudly. He curses lowly and swears god is out to get him. "Ignore it." Rachel huffs and wraps her legs tight around his waist. He feels too damn good and she's past the point of stopping. Charlie groans frustrated that he can't just say screw it and make love to Rachel. He knows Top wouldn't call unless it was important. Bob and Mack must have found something in the woods.

"Can't Star. You know that." Charlie almost caves at the sight of her pouty lips and sad large eyes. He kisses her soundly before disentangling himself from her soft warm body. He takes a deep breath and calms his racing heart and labored breathing. He grabs his phone from the coffee table while Rachel pushes her messy hair from her forehead. She also takes a deep breath to quell the throbbing in her core.

"Go for Grey….Roger that Top….Starlight is fine. Be there in a few." Charlie ends the call then rubs his close cropped curls with his hand. "Top wants us to meet him at a secure location. He's going to text me the address." Rachel sighs loudly then sits up slowly. She's horny and pissed, not a good combination. The sexually frustrated couple cleans up and dresses quickly, both trying to ignore the desire to just tear each other's clothes off.

The drive to the abandoned warehouse just outside of Lima is an awkward one. Rachel's not quite sure what to make of this evening. Are they a couple now or was it just a one-time thing. They did everything else like a couple all that was missing was the sex and it's abundantly clear that sex was no longer a problem. Rachel hated feeling so conflicted. All she wanted was to feel like she had when Charlie touched her. But now was not the time to worry about feelings. She had to focus on the mission but Blue was proving to be too much of a distraction.

Charlie parks alongside Hector's rental and turns off the engine. He takes a long look at Rachel and all he wants to do is kiss her pouty lips again. He smirks at her letting his dimples do the talking for him. "BOHICA." Grey lets out a soft chuckle and Rachel grins widely.

"BOHICA." Rachel rolls her eyes as the phrase slips over her lips. The uneasy feeling disappears quickly. The first thing she learned when joining the Unit was that when you think the job is done all hell will break lose. Whatever could go wrong will go wrong. Never make plans because nothing ever will go the way you want it too. Hence the phrase BOHICA (Bend Over Here It Comes Again).

They walk into the dilapidated building and find the rest of the team looking over a large piece of machinery that looks like a prop from a sci-fi movie. "Bout time you two love birds showed up. Thought I'd have to go and get you my damn self." Mack's gruff voice carries loudly in the wide open space and Rachel can feel her cheeks start to burn. Charlie flashes his teammate a cocky grin before joining him by the hunk of metal in the center of the room.

Mack looks between the both of them but shrugs it off. It's not time to bust Blue's chops over Star. Whatever the two got going on will be brought to the Unit in due time.

Charlie takes a good long look at what use to be a bomb squad robot. It has been modified into some kind of killing machine and Grey is very impressed with the design. Rachel joins Hector as he looks over some of Coach Sylvester's old journals leaving the rest of the men to play with the unusual contraption.

Rachel can already tell that Blue is completely absorbed with his shiny new toy. She pouts again because she knows that until he can figure this thing out all his attention will not be focused on her. And all she really wants right now is to have his undivided attention on her body.

After a few hours of Charlie investigating the robot and Rachel skimming through the crazy lady's psychotic ramblings the team is totally wiped. "Top this is fucking amazing. She's outfitted this thing with fifty cal bullets and RPGs. The best part its remote controlled. This thing is ready for war." Charlie is in awe over all the modifications. He wished he could have made something like this.

"This means that she could have been sitting in the parking lot and controlling this thing the whole time. She was so close and we didn't even know it." Jonas is pissed. He doesn't like failing and the fact Rachel got hurt too just makes him even more determined to stop Sue before she can do worse.

"Something like this takes years to make. She's been plotting for a long time. Who knows what she's going to do next." Bob's green eyes are serious as he looks over the death machine. He never thought he'd see the day when he could possibly be replaced by a machine. If the thing had better aim he would surely be out a job.

Rachel's already asleep by the time Grey is done for the day. Its 0400 hours and Rachel is less than happy when Charlie shakes her awake. She's a total bitch without her morning coffee. Her back and hip are sore and she glares at Grey who seems to be too wide awake at this time. She leans on him and he half drags her to the car. By the time they get back to her parent's house she is scowling fiercely.

Charlie loves when Rachel gets all feisty. She's the most beautiful to him when she's pissed off. Something about the way the passion in her makes her eyes flash hot and the flush of her color on her cheeks just adds to her beauty.

Rachel tiredly makes her way up the stairs to her bedroom and Grey follows her closely. She peels her jeans off and slides into the bed with just her t-shirt and underwear. She glances at Blue standing in her doorway and glares before patting the empty space next to her. That's all the incentive he needs and strips down to his plaid boxers. He climbs in next to Rachel and pulls her back flush against his chest. Grey rubs her hip soothingly and Rachel once again melts into his touch. Before long she's fast asleep and wrapped tightly in Blue's lovely arms.

**A/N: Please Review. Next up Rachel spends the day with the gleeks.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I don't own Glee or The Unit**

**I just want to thank those of you that have reviewed this story. I truly appreciate it. You guys are awesome. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. There is a lemon so I'm just warning you guys now. Also I feel like I'm just rambling on in this chapter but hopefully it makes sense. I'm not to sure if I'm happy with how it turned out. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks again. ;***

Chapter 5

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><p>Rachel groggily tries to stretch but is pulled tighter into Charlie's warm embrace. She rolls over and snuggles closer to his strong body. Rachel is torn between getting up and doing her morning routine of a banana flax seed smoothie and an hour on the elliptical or spending the morning being wrapped in Blue's arms. "You're not getting up so early Star." Charlie's voice is thick and raspy from sleep and Rachel finds it incredibly sexy.<p>

"Early? Charlie it's already noon and we have things to do." Rachel's statement is met with a non-committal groan from her sexy bedmate.

Rachel pouts as Grey rolls her onto her back. His eyes are dark and penetrating and Rachel is suddenly turned on by the intensity of his gaze. She feels like she's drowning in him. His eyes, his scent and his touch have her drunk with lust. Rachel traces his lips with her fingertips. She loves that his top lip is slightly fuller than the bottom one and wants nothing more than to kiss him.

Charlie sees the look in her eyes and knows they will be picking up where they left off from last night. He kisses her softly and Rachel melts in satisfaction. The kisses start slow and long as he languidly tastes her lips and tongue. It's so much better than the other times they have kissed. Their first kiss was sloppy and drunken but he felt the fireworks and he knew she did too.

_**Past….**_

Rachel had just passed Unit selection and Alpha team was celebrating in the break/locker room and beers were on Jonas. As the night wore on Mack, Jonas, and Bob left to be with their wives. Hector, Charlie and Rachel then made their way to a local bar near base. Rachel was no longer a needy girl drunk. She was surprisingly mellow as she drank a few more beers. Before long Hector found a cute African American girl with smooth sable skin, honey doe eyes and a killer hour glass shape.

Rachel was left with Charlie and both decided it was time to leave the bar. Charlie didn't want Rachel to go back to the barracks drunk so they caught a cab to Charlie and Hector's small apartment. Grey wasn't as tipsy as Rachel so he easily made up the couch for her to sleep on. It wouldn't be the last time she crashed at their place. She was there so often that the three eventually scrapped their money together and bought a three bedroom fixer upper townhouse.

They stood there awkwardly in the dim living room staring at each other, feeling like two middle school kids with their first crush. Rachel's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shiny and Charlie found her to be more beautiful than the first time he saw her.

Rachel was twenty one now and no longer off limits. For four years Grey had kept his hands to himself. They were friends. In fact after Hector, Rachel was his best friend. The same went for Rachel. She had never had many friends and the fellow gleeks had always seemed to keep her at arm's length.

Mercedes and Kurt were the only ones to understand her diva attitude but even they had rival moments with her. Since the day Blue had given her his number, he had been the one to listen to her problems, offer advice or just make her laugh. Not even Finn could take the place Blue had in Rachel's life.

The day she graduated boot camp he was there with Colonel Tom Ryan. Rachel had scanned the crowd knowing that her family couldn't be there but was surprised to catch of glimpse of Blue. It was the first time Rachel had seen him since _the incident_ and he looked better than she remembered.

His ink black hair was longer back then and curled unruly around his head and his goatee gave him a roguish bad boy look. Rachel loved the way he looked so masculine and badass. Only Noah Puckerman could compete with Blue's badassness but in the end Blue would always be first.

Now Rachel was officially Private First Class Rachel Berry and it was the most exhilarating feeling Rachel had felt in a long time. She had gone into boot camp with the same zeal she did everything in her life. She excelled in strategic planning and delegating during war games and easily fit into a leadership role.

Her drill instructors were impressed even if the tiny brunette drove them crazy. Rachel had done her fair share of push-ups but learned how to compromise to get what she wanted. In the end she had become a more mature and better Rachel Berry.

The colonel beamed like a proud papa and everyone knew that she was his girl. She didn't receive special treatment but everyone knew that if Colonel Ryan was going to mentor someone they had to be pretty damn special to get that kind of attention.

Blue had looked pleased and amused as Rachel saluted her two superior officers. Charlie couldn't help but think how adorable she looked in her fatigues. She was still Rachel but more grown up somehow.

The colonel handed Rachel her first official orders to Fort Griffith. There she would begin Ranger school and eventually Unit Selection. Blue congratulated Rachel and informed her that it was his duty to see that she made it to base most ricky tick. Rachel beamed her trademark megawatt smile.

"Permission to speak freely sir." Rachel had perfected her soldier persona to a tee and both men were very impressed with this new Rachel Berry.

"Permission granted soldier." Ryan's voice was gruff but the smile on his face softened his words. The older man couldn't have been more proud of her.

"Thank you both for believing in me. Colonel you saw something in me that I didn't even know was there. Thank you for giving me this chance and I promise I won't let you down." Rachel then surprised the tough old man by hugging him tightly. Ryan's heart melted just a bit more for the tiny beauty.

Soon the colonel was called away and that left Blue and Rachel alone. "Thanks Blue. Your calls really meant a lot to me." Rachel smiled softly trying not to sound like a love sick school girl.

The first night in boot camp Rachel had called Grey crying and told him she just couldn't do it. Grey had to talk her down and then in his no nonsense way told her that the Rachel Berry he had come to know was not a quitter and if she did quit then she wasn't the girl he thought she was. Rachel dried her tears and vowed that she was going to pass with flying colors.

"My name is Charles Grey by the way. You can call me Charlie if you want. Your part of the family now." Grey flashed Rachel his signature dimples and she was surely falling in love. She didn't want to admit it but the feelings he was stirring up in her were nothing like she felt before. Not even Finn, Jesse or Noah could make her feel the way Charles Grey did.

After all this time the obvious attraction between the two had finally come to a head as they stood in the small living room looking heatedly at each other. Neither knew who initiated their first kiss but it was a rough crash of lips. It was sloppy and frantic as if once their lips parted reality would sink in.

They tumbled onto the couch and hastily groped each other till they couldn't breathe. Rachel had felt those fireworks that Finn had told her they didn't have when he had his kissing booth. Grey had lit a fire in her that was so white hot she felt like it would consume her entirely.

Charlie had felt it too as he devoured her pouty lips with his own. Just as quickly as it started it stopped. Grey wanted nothing more than to take her in every way possible but he also knew that she was very inexperienced when it came to sex. She had admitted once during one of their long conversations that she had only slept with two people. A drunken one night stand after boot camp and Finn. Both times for Rachel it had been awkward, clumsy and unsatisfying.

Rachel had given herself to Finn because she truly loved him and didn't want to leave Lima as a virgin. She knew once she left for boot camp her life would be extremely busy and relationships would be pushed aside. Sleeping with Finn was her way of saying goodbye to her old life and starting her new life as woman not a girl.

Rachel had dated after boot camp, and even had sex with one other guy besides Finn. Charlie knew this and their age difference became glaringly obvious. She was still so young and he didn't want to pressure her into something she wasn't ready for. He kissed her swollen lips delicately a few more times just to savor the feel and taste of her lips.

He wanted to say something that wouldn't make her feel rejected but before he could get the words out their phones beeped signaling a new mission. Charlie had never been as thankful for his beeping phone as he was right then. They stared at each other for a few moments before springing to life and hurriedly racing to the cave. Rachel was still slightly tipsy but the adrenaline rush of her first mission had sobered her up.

Grey handed her a cup of coffee and the two acted as if nothing had happened. Neither one sure of how the other was feeling. Their drunken fooling around would happen a few more times over the years before Rachel had gotten serious with Oscar.

They had always come so close but Charlie would always hesitate before things would get too hot and heavy, usually ending with Grey shirtless and his hand in Rachel's panties. As always the next day they would act like nothing happened. Charlie would have some random bar girl on his arm and Rachel would pretend it didn't mean a thing. Grey was a womanizer and afraid of commitment. Rachel deserved a real relationship. Blue wasn't ready for that and Rachel never pushed him.

Everything was fine between them until Oscar came into the picture. It was the first time Charlie realized that he could lose Rachel if he didn't get over his issues and just admit how much he was in love with her. But he was a coward and pulled back from Rachel. Of course the tiny diva was livid with him. She had stormed into their townhouse with her eyes blazing hot and fury written all over her beautiful face.

They argued fiercely. Charlie was a hothead and didn't like to feel like he was being backed into a corner. His temper had always gotten him into trouble. Rachel accused him of being jealous and all she really wanted was for him to admit that he felt the same way she did. He vehemently denied her accusations and Rachel had felt like her heart was tearing in two.

The sadness and conflict in her eyes was too much for Charlie to bear. He grabbed her more roughly than he should have but the fire she lit in him was already raging beyond his control. "Pick Oscar because I can't give you what you want. I'm no good Rachel. Never have been, never will be. I'll only ever hurt you." His voice was rough and cold. The wall he kept up around his heart was finally blocking Rachel.

Hector and Rachel were the only two ever to get really close to Charlie since his mom passed. Rachel being stubborn and persistent was not letting Grey push her out of his life because of Oscar. She loved Oscar…she really did but Blue would always be her soul mate. Oscar would always be second best. Rachel knew Blue had issues with commitment and letting others in and she was willing to give him all the time he needed. But at this moment he was pushing her to her limit.

Rachel tried to hold back her tears but all the emotions running through her were making it hard for her to control her tears. She fisted the soft fabric of his white cotton tee and pulled his lips to hers. It was searing. All her passion and frustration poured into that one kiss and Grey equally poured all his pent up emotions into it too. He was tainting all other kisses for Rachel. No other man would ever kiss her this way and leave her heart beating faster and slower all at the same time.

He was kissing her goodbye and she knew it. Grey was pushing her into Oscar's arms and at this moment she hated him for it. Charlie pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers. They were both breathing hard and neither wanted to be the first to let go. "I hate you." Her voice was soft and mournful and it cut through Blue deeper than any knife could.

"I know." Charlie kissed her lips gently one last time and left her standing in their living room confused and hurt. Six hours later they were on a plane heading for Beirut where things would take a turn for the worse before it would get better.

The moment the shots rang out and Blue went down Rachel knew that whatever she had with Oscar was done. Even if Charlie hadn't survived her heart could never belong fully to Oscar. The moment their medevac flight landed at Fort Griffith Rachel ended her relationship with Oscar.

He accused her of cheating with Grey. Rachel tried to make him understand that she wasn't a cheater. But Oscar was positive that Charlie was more than friends with Rachel. She couldn't deny that what they had was more than just platonic. In the end it didn't matter if she didn't have sex with Charlie, she had given him her heart and to Oscar that was worse.

_**Present….**_

Rachel pushes aside all thoughts of their past and just decides to focus on this moment with Blue. The feel of his rough hands on her bare skin sends a thrill up her spine. There was no doubt that Charlie is a skillful lover. He takes his time peeling away her t-shirt and underwear, worshiping every inch of her smooth tan skin. By the time he kissed his way back up to Rachel's lips the tiny brunette was so wound tight that she was surely to explode with just another kiss.

"You have too many clothes on soldier. I think it's time for you to lose these." Rachel rasps huskily in Grey's ear as her hands push down the plaid boxers he slept in making him more turned on than before. Blue wasn't going to let anything keep him from claiming her as his today.

"Yes ma'am." Grey smirks widely letting his dimples come out in full force as he helps Rachel discard the last piece of clothing keeping them apart. Charlie kisses her pouty lips as he slides himself deep in her warm sex. He groans at the feel of her so warm and tight around his dick. Rachel grips his shoulders tightly as he thrusts in and out in the most delicious way.

Rachel's moaning and withering under the man she has loved most of her life and it feels inexplicably better than anything she has ever felt before. Charlie nips and kisses the tender flesh of her neck as she wraps her legs around his waist bringing him deeper inside herself. Rachel digs her well-manicured nails into his strong back as continues to thrust rhythmically into her making her moan his name like a prayer.

"Uhh…Char...lie..uhh…" Rachel groans loudly as Blue hits the one spot inside her that has her seeing stars. The feel of him filling her so completely has Rachel bucking her hips and meeting him thrust for thrust.

"Fuck…Rach." Grey grunts as he continues to move his hips in a way that has Rachel's eyes rolling into the back of her head. He kisses the swell of her small round breast before taking the perfect peak in his warm mouth making Rachel dig her nails deeper into his back. He knows he'll be all scratched up but the blissful mix of pain and pleasure is addicting.

Grey kisses her roughly as he pushes into her more forcefully loving the feel of her warm slick walls. She's close and he can feel the tightening of her thigh muscles around his waist and sees her biting her plump bottom lip roughly. The simple touch of teeth to swollen moist flesh has Grey groaning in pleasure.

The tightening in his lower abdomen is cruelly wonderful as he brings Rachel's leg higher up on his hip. Both moan loudly at the new sensation of deepness from Charlie's frantic thrusts. "Charlie!" Rachel arches her back and his name falls loudly from her lips as the coil in her snaps.

Watching Rachel come undone beneath him and the clenching of her walls around his dick is all it takes to push Grey over the edge with her. He buries his face in her damp neck and he groans her name roughly as he releases himself deep inside her warm sex. The two spent lovers pant and kiss softly as both come down from their high.

Rachel traces his lips with her fingertips and smiles widely as he brushes her damp hair from her forehead. "I love you Blue." Her voice is soft and caresses Grey as he loses himself in her cinnamon gaze.

"I know." Is all he says and Rachel knows he loves her too. He doesn't use the words but she knows how hard it is for him to say them. He's only ever said them to one woman in his life and that was his mother. The old Rachel would push and prod for an immediate answer but the more grown up version of her knows that when the time comes he'll say the words and he'll mean them completely. For now she is content to be wrapped up in his lovely arms.

Their post sex cuddling is short lived as both have a busy day ahead of them. Charlie must go and finish taking apart the war robot and Rachel must spend the day with the gleeks trying to get as much info from them as she can. Santana, Brittney, and Quinn spent the most time with Sue and the tiniest details can help in trying to locate her. She would much rather spend her time doing recon with Mack or Bob but Hector had told her to take it easy, so much for that notion. The pain in her hip makes its self-known as she rolls onto her stomach to watch Blue walk naked to the shower. The back view is just as good as the front.

Jonas being concerned for Rachel had decided to have her play happy army wife with the gleeks as the boys finish taking apart Sue's war robot. Rachel hated the idea but knew not to argue with orders. In twenty minutes Charlie was showered, dressed and out the door. Rachel took longer to get dressed before she was to meet with the original glee club at Mr. Shue's apartment.

Rachel arrived wearing her typical unit attire, a pair of dark jeans, a plum V-neck t-shirt and her favorite flat black leather knee-high boots along with her cropped black leather jacket. Her hair is pulled back into a low pony tail and her make-up is simple. She needs to be dressed and ready to take off at a moment's notice and her old wardrobe of skirts and knee socks was just not appropriate for missions.

Mr. Shue or Will as he tells her to call him opens the door swiftly and ushers Rachel quickly inside. She's the last to arrive and is met with curious glances from her former gleek friends. "Rachel, how are you? Last night was insane. I could have sworn you got hurt." Tina smiles gently and hugs Rachel tightly.

"Oh no…I just fell and scratched my hip on the gravel. I'm fine." Rachel lies flawlessly and the rest of them accept her response. Kurt dominates the conversation with a hundred questions about her life.

"At least you know you have a manly man. Short guys aren't my type but your hubby was damn sexy shooting that gun of his and protecting his woman." Kurt smiles devilishly at Rachel and the diva has to admit that Blue with a gun is very sexy indeed. The men groan as the women agree with Kurt.

"Can we not talk about Berry's husband? We get it. He's a badass soldier that is trained to do shit like that. I on the other hand am a lover not a fighter." Puck throws his arm around Tina and kisses her temple gently. Rachel smiles at her ex and finds it oddly cute that the resident bad boy of WMHS ended up with the Gothic Asian girl who just happened to be half Jewish.

Rachel finds her way to Brittney and Santana and subtly asks questions about Sue hoping to figure out something new about the crazy cheerleading coach. Rachel finds out that coach Sylvester had a condo in Boca Raton, FL and also had an off shore Cayman island account that she was using to skim money from the cheerios budget. Quinn has also made an offhand comment about a cabin in rural West Virginia.

Rachel makes a mental note to ask Kayla to use her computer skills and dig up all the information she can about the accounts and houses. After a few beers someone breaks out a karaoke machine and the glee clubbers do what they do best and belt out some cheesy songs. Rachel is having fun watching Sam steal kisses from Mercedes, Tina laughing with Puck and Will and Emma beaming like proud parents.

Santana is perched on Artie's lap and the two of them are singing Goo Goo Dolls' Broadway while Mike, Matt and Brittney dance around. Quinn and Finn are sitting together on the love seat and both are smiling lovingly at each other. Rachel's sipping her beer and hanging back in the doorway of the living room feeling more like an outsider than she ever has before.

The gleeks were still in each other's lives and were there for the babies, the weddings and the friendly get togethers while Rachel was MIA for seven years and doing covert ops. She didn't regret her choices but there were times when she wondered what if…what if she stayed in Lima with Finn. What if she had left to New York to be on Broadway? But then she thinks of the unit and knows that she's made the right choice.

"Doesn't this remind you of that ridiculous party you threw in your basement?" Kurt smiles widely and Rachel just rolls her eyes.

"Don't remind me…I drunkenly made out with your boyfriend and made a fool out of myself in front of Finn. He called me a needy girl drunk." Rachel sighs softly and takes another sip of her beer. Kurt eyes her for a moment and smiles warmly.

"I missed you Rach." His words are sincere and Rachel feels a pang in her heart knowing that once she leaves Lima she'll probably never see any of them again.

"I've missed you too." Rachel hugs Kurt quickly just as her unit issued phone beeps. She doesn't hesitate to answer. It's almost like second nature after years of answering the same call.

Rachel hands Kurt her beer and smiles weakly at her old friend. "Go for Berry…Roger that Top." Rachel ends the call and hates that she has to leave so soon. Blue's found something interesting on the war robot and Jonas wants the whole team present for a briefing. The wedding is in two days and time is running out for the Unit. Sue will strike soon and Jonas wants them to be prepared for anything this crazy lady has thought of.

Rachel makes her apologies for leaving so soon and promises to meet them for lunch tomorrow at Breadsticks. The tiny brunette is out the door and on her way to the warehouse in a matter of minutes before they can ask too many questions. Rachel has become quite good at avoiding awkward situations involving her cover story.

On the way to the warehouse Rachel contacts Kayla at TOC to have her begin looking into the information she had gotten from Quinn, Santana and Brittney. Time was passing too quickly for Rachel and an uneasy feeling was settling in her stomach.

Something was going to go down and soon. Rachel could feel it; she was after all a little bit psychic. It was her sixth sense that helped her figure out that Puck was the father of Quinn's baby and not Finn. And she always trusted that feeling she would get in the pit of her stomach when something big was about to go down.

Rachel readies herself for what is to come over the next few days. She sighs heavily as she gets out of her rental and cautiously makes her way to the abandoned warehouse. Whatever they found would only be the tip of the iceberg and the tiny diva knew that this was only the beginning, just another day as a Unit operator.

**A/N: Please review...**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I don't own Glee or The Unit.**

**Thanks again to everyone that has reviewed and to everyone that has read and alerted this story. I really appreciate it. Sorry I haven't been able to respond personally to the reviews. But I really do appreciate the kind words and love that you guys really like this story. There is a little surprise at the end so I hope you guys like it. Please Review. Thanks again. **

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><p>Chapter 6<strong><br>**

Rachel looks over her hair and makeup to make sure everything is as it should be. Her dark brown locks are smooth and fall over her shoulders in thick waves. Rachel's eyes are smoky and her lips are glossy. She runs her small hands down the front of her lavender knee length dress to smooth out the few wrinkles she sees. After she makes sure her appearance is perfect Rachel straps her trusty nine to her thigh and slips into her fabulous black velvet peep toe louboutins.

Kayla made the perfect choice when she sent the package with this dress and Blue's suit. They would make a very attractive couple at the wedding today, Blue in his charcoal suit and Rachel in this sexy soft purple sheath dress. Rachel may look calm and collected on the outside but she's a nervous wreck on the inside. The past few days have left the unit on edge. They were no closer to figuring out Sue's plan than they had been a few days prior.

Charlie discovered several serial numbers on some of the modified parts and had been chasing down leads on where the parts were ordered from. It was a wild goose chase that had wasted more time than necessary. Sue had used several aliases and dummy addresses to obtain the parts leaving Alpha team frustrated and pissed.

Whatever she had planned would happen today and that meant the unit had to be on their toes during the whole day. Rachel takes one last look at herself in the mirror then heads out to meet Charlie and the rest of the team at the warehouse. They are going to go over their plan for the day before heading to the church.

"I'm Sue Sylvester and I've had seven years to plan for revenge. What do I do?" Jonas poses the question to his team and waits patiently for them to think of an answer. It's important to get into the mindset of the suspect.

"I'd want to take out as many of them as I could as quickly as I could." Mack says confidently as he adjusts his black tie. Mack is gruff and a man's man but cleans up quite nicely. His copper hair and startling blue eyes sets him apart from ordinary men.

"Dirt diver is right. She's been obsessing about this for years. She was testing us with that robot. The real attack will be today." Bob's statement is met with a nod of approval from Jonas.

"You're right Cool Breeze. But how will she accomplish that?" Jonas' deep honeyed voice intones his natural authority.

"Bomb…it's the only way to get rid of everyone in one shot. It's what I would do." Charlie's words send a shiver down Rachel's spine. Her experiences with explosives have been limited but the few times she's been near them have left her nerves on edge. Mostly because Blue is the one having to defuse them.

"Exactly. Starlight and Betty Blue will attend the wedding as planned and the rest of us will be providing security discreetly." Jonas adjusts his collar of his suit and eyes his team.

"You all know the drill. Keep a lookout for anything suspicious. Betty Blue your favorite toys are in the trunk of your rental. Let's hope we don't have to use them but if we do let's get it done right and if not the sooner this is done the sooner my wife can start dating again." Alpha team's leader flashes a wry smile at everyone and the tension eases a little.

Rachel and Charlie leave first to make their way to the church on time. Emma and Will had asked her to sing the original version of somewhere over the rainbow. Rachel was touched and eagerly agreed to sing. Even though she is a highly trained operator she still loves to sing any chance she gets.

The church is small but filled to capacity which makes Rachel even more on edge. "Snake Doctor this is Starlight. I'm in position." Rachel smiles from her position by the piano and looks around till she meet's Charlie's eyes. He's sitting in a pew towards the back and nods reassuringly at her.

"Starlight this is Snake Doctor. Your brother's have arrived to the party." Jonas takes his place just outside the church pretending to be an usher and keeping close eyes on everyone that enters the building. Mack, Bob and Hector have taken their places in the church, sitting in the pews spread out and trying to blend in.

The music begins to play and Rachel's melodious voice fills the room. Charlie is always dumbstruck when he hears her sing. Her voice is smooth and powerful and makes you feel things you've never thought possible. Rachel is exquisite and takes Charlie's breath away every moment they are together. He loves her and always had.

The glee girls walk down the aisle in beautiful matching soft yellow satin draped gowns. They look like Grecian goddesses floating down the aisle to Rachel's stunning voice. Emma's cousin is the last of the bride's maids before Rachel finishes her song. The wedding march begins and the ginger beauty walks in the church in a simply beautiful empire waist champagne colored gown. Her lovely red hair is piled high in a tumble of curls atop her head. She looks as if she has stepped out of a Jane Austen novel.

Rachel steals a glance at Will in his creme dinner jacket and black pants and the overwhelming love he feels is just pouring out of him. Seeing the two of them so in love warms Rachel's heart and reinforces the thought that she did the right thing all those years ago. If she had done nothing and waited for the cops to do their jobs Mr. Shue would have certainly bleed to death and Emma would have stayed with Carl the dentist instead of realizing that she couldn't live without Will in her life.

The ceremony is short and simple but full of so much love and joy. Rachel's breathe hitches as the priest asks if there was anyone that objects to their marriage. A few stress filled moments pass as Alpha team is on alert. No disturbances occur and the couple happily kisses to seal their union. The church erupts in cat calls and whistles and happy cheers.

The wedding party departs to take pictures and head to the reception venue. The night before Alpha team went over the whole building and found nothing. Rachel and Charlie play the part of a happy married couple perfectly and beam and congratulate the newlyweds. All is ok for now but the pit in Rachel's stomach is leaving her on edge. Sue Sylvester would make her move and Rachel just hoped they would be prepared.

An hour into the reception and all the guests are dancing, drinking and having a great time. The cocktail hour is fabulous and Quinn really did out do herself. The room is tastefully done with crème colored linens with a touch of soft yellow in the favors. The flowers are simple, beautiful crystal vases filled with calla lilies.

Rachel and the team make their rounds around the venue and so far everything is going perfectly. Rachel mingles and smiles but the uneasy feeling is keeping her from truly enjoying in the festivities. Rachel makes her way over to the lovely wedding cake. It's six tiers done in white butter-cream flowers and soft yellow fondant and looks almost too beautiful to eat.

Rachel takes a step closer to inspect the beautiful edible creation when she feels the slight bulge under her foot and hears the unmistakable click of an armed device. The tiny brunette feels her stomach drop and her legs tremble just a little. She rights herself quickly because any movement could set the bomb off which is cleverly hidden in the wedding cake.

"Blue I found the bomb. I found it. Oh god I found it." Rachel's voice shakes slightly and Alpha teams attention suddenly focuses on its tiniest member.

"Star, where's the bomb." Jonas looks around the ballroom and tries to find the tiny brunette.

"Girl you keep staring at the cake like that someone might think you're trying to steal a piece before the happy couple can cut a slice." Mercedes sing song voice catches Rachel by surprise but the trained operator keeps her form still and calms her breathing.

"I'm not trying to be a bitch right now but I need you to get the hell away from me and this cake right now." Rachel snaps forcefully and hates the hurt look that passes over her once friend's stunning face.

The dark mocha skinned diva bristles at Rachel's harsh tone and words. She takes in Rachel's rigid posture and tense face and suddenly concern for her once rival trumps the harshness of her previous statement. "Rachel, are you ok? Is there something wrong diva?" The softness of Mercedes voice oddly soothes Rachel for just a moment.

"Please Cedes just walk away. You have to walk away." Rachel blinks back her tears and Mercedes grudgingly does as she is asked. "Top it's the cake." Rachel tries to calm her breathing so she can ranger through this ordeal just as the cake starts to beep.

"Roger that Starlight." Jonas keeps his composure but inside he's terrified. Rachel has become as much of a daughter to him as his own daughter Betsy. Top pulls out his unit phone and dials TOC.

"Dogpatch 06 this is Snake Doctor, Starlight has found a party favor and it's set to go boom." Colonel Ryan's heart sinks at Jonas' message and commands his alpha team to do whatever it takes to all come home safely.

Alpha team surrounds Rachel and immediately starts trying to figure out their next move. "Mr. Green and Mr. White the both of you need to secure the perimeter. She's out there watching and waiting." Mack and Bob take off quickly hoping to find the crazy cheer leading coach before things get too out of hand.

"Mr. Blue I need you to provide cover for Mr. Black as he goes to his vehicle to retrieve his toys." Hector nods and follows Charlie out the back of the building ready to shoot anyone that tries to keep Charlie from reaching his destination.

Grey is torn between leaving Rachel and doing his job. He knows that she needs him to focus and do his best but his feelings for her are making it more difficult for him to concentrate on the job at hand.

"Alright Ms. Scarlet it's just you and me now. How are those legs of yours doing?" Jonas' smooth voice keeps Rachel from falling apart. If Top was calm then she knew he was already coming up with a plan to get her out of here.

"They're fit and strong Top." Rachel smiles weakly and manages to keep her tears at bay.

"Good girl." Jonas surveys the room and tries to figure out how to evacuate the party goers without alerting Sue that they have discovered her bomb.

Hector and Charlie make their way back to Rachel quickly carrying two large black duffel bags. "We need to get these people out of here and not cause a scene." Jonas is in charge and the adrenalin is starting to rise in all of them.

Hector pulls out a blue print of the building and studies it quickly. "The basement is the only way. Here is a trap door. I believe there is a short tunnel that opens up in the building next door. These buildings date back all the way to the twenty's. The tunnels were used by bootleggers to deliver moonshine. They can go through here and exit out the back of the other building and into the woods. No one would be the wiser. " Hector points to different spots on the blueprints he's been studying since their transport plane landed in Ohio.

"Can you get them out of here calmly and safely? I need to be sure you can do this without widespread panic taking over." Jonas is apprehensive but knows there is no other way to do this at this moment.

"It will be my life's work." Hector calmly replies then gives Rachel a reassuringly look before going to the Bride and Groom to explain that a chemical spill in one of the back rooms was creating a toxic gas.

In his sweet calm way Hector explains that he is the representative of the local poison control center and tells Emma and Will that the safest route to keep from exposing everyone is through the basement.

The newlyweds are distraught and know that something is up considering the small group surrounding Rachel but Hector who exudes a natural serenity that manages to keep them calm. They accept his lie easily and enlist the former glee clubbers in helping to move the guest swiftly into the basement and through the trap door.

With this problem taken care of Jonas is able to focus on Blue and Rachel. Rachel is perspiring slightly and breathing deeply. He can tell she is using all her strength to keep still.

Charlie has gotten to work on setting up his equipment and examining the cake bomb and the arming device under Rachel's foot. Charlie is quick and efficient at his job. He knows explosives better than any man on the planet. With the portable x-ray device Charlie is able to see inside the bomb. It's simple in design but quite effective.

Grey is all over the place, studying it as closely as he can and formulating a plan of action in his mind. "What ya doing Betty Blue?" Jonas is curiously watching the shorter man do what he does best.

"Getting up close and personal with her Top." Charlie is trying his best to keep cool but every time he glances at Rachel his heart throbs painfully.

"Careful, she bites." Jonas quips then stands closer to Rachel and tries to provide some kind of comfort to the tiny operator.

Rachel's shins are burning and her thighs hurt. The pain in her hip is becoming unbearable and all she wants to do is flop down on the floor to ease the pain in her legs and back.

Standing still is almost impossible for Rachel. She's always been too full of energy to just keep still. Rachel watches Charlie work and takes solace in the knowledge that he's the best at what he does.

"It's definitely a pressure device." Charlie shows Jonas the pictures on the laptop taken with the x-ray machine. He takes several more of the cake. "I see batteries. Watch batteries I think. Not sure if there are explosives but there's wiring and circuitry for sure." Charlie is diligently searching the x-rays for any clues on how to disarm the device.

"How you doing Rachel?" Jonas is determined to make sure that Star makes it out of this in one piece.

"Thirsty…and sore but I can ranger on." Rachel flashes another weak smile at her team leader. The tall solid man nods his head and watches for any signs of dehydration. Rachel is still perspiring and tears are silently making their way down her smooth cheeks.

Charlie sets up small pipe shaped water cannons around the table the cake is on. He quickly connects wires to each water cannon. Rachel and Jonas aren't sure what he's up to but have faith enough to know that at least he knows what he's doing.

"Can you disarm it?" Jonas is straight to the point. No use in fooling around right now.

"I'll do my level best." Charlie stops and takes a long look at the woman he loves and knows he'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

As Blue continues to set up the wires Bob comes in the ballroom slightly dirty and disheveled and dragging a wounded Mack. Bob quickly explains that Sue Sylvester is no longer a problem for Rachel. Apparently the disgruntled former cheer leading coach was hiding in the office building across the street.

Mack and Bob discovered her on the rooftop wearing a camouflaged track suit and armed with a snipers rifle ready to take out as many screaming guest as she could. She was planning on them discovering the cake and not only blowing up Emma and Will but shooting those that managed to run out the building before the explosion.

Bob and she had gotten into a scuffle as he tried to subdue her. Sue managed to get one round out hitting Mack in his bicep. Before she could fire again Mack managed to put two rounds in the crazy bitch. At least half their mission was over. Now all they had to do was make sure Star was safe.

"We have three different collapsing circuits. We have to hit all three simultaneously. I've set these water cannons to fire on one circuit each to take out the power sources. Anything off by a millimeter ain't gonna be very good." Charlie looks at Rachel as he attaches one end of an exposed wire to a 9volt battery.

"You miss…I move…one way or the other it goes boom." Rachel swallows roughly and silently prays that Blue's done everything right.

Alpha team moves behind a large pillar while Charlie stays near Rachel. He could move further back but he'd be damned if he was going to leave her all alone. "I love you Star." It's simple and to the point. Rachel knows he means every word and she knows that if all goes well her and Blue are finally going to get their happily ever after.

"I know." Is all she can say and he gets it. Grey takes a deep breath and braces himself. He locks eyes with Rachel. If he's made any miscalculations and this thing goes off the last thing he wants to see is the woman he loves.

"We are go Snake Doc." Charlie takes the other exposed wire and touches it to the other prong of the 9volt batter and the water cannons fire simultaneously sending cake and water all through the air. The device stops beeping leaving Blue and Rachel covered in cake but safe. Rachel lets out a nervous laugh before her legs begin to give out on her.

Bob races to catch her as Charlie double checks the device. Grey's heart is beating double time as Bob easily lifts Rachel's small cake covered form in his arms. "Well lil' sis looks like we'll be taking you home after all." Bob smiles widely as relief passes through him. Rachel is safe and that crazy bitch is gone, Mission success.

"I can't wait to go home." Rachel lets her head drop on Bob's shoulder and lets the exhaustion of the day lull her to sleep.

Charlie finishes making sure the bomb is definitely defused before he finds Rachel in the back of the ambulance that showed up with the rest of the first responders after Hector alerted the local police of what went down.

Jonas hands out strict orders to the local cops that his team was never there and that the local PD could take the credit for the success of this mission. The cops take statements from everyone as word spreads of Coach Sylvester's demise.

Once every one is on the same page Jonas informs Colonel Ryan of their victory and has Medawar make the arrangements for their flight home. It's been a long week and the team leader is ready to go home to his loving wife.

Once Rachel convinces the medics that she is fine and only a little worse for wear she is able to lose herself in Blue's arms. He holds her tight and never wants to let her go. Grey curses himself for wasting so much time with Rachel. Things just were so complicated between them but he vows now to let all the crap go and just enjoy what he has with her.

After getting cleaned up and making sure her dads' house is in order Rachel says her goodbyes once again to her former life. She hugs her old friends and promises to keep in touch this time. She gets numbers and addresses and knows that they don't have to know about her life to be in her life. When they asked about what was going on she told them part of the truth but left out the important facts.

Charlie holds Rachel in his arms the whole way back to Fort Griffith. None of the other team members say a word. They know soon enough Charlie and Rachel will have to bring their relationship to the Unit. The Unit lives and dies by a special code.

There are certain things that a member never does. But Blue knows that the rest of the team won't object to his relationship with Rachel. So the two lovebirds enjoy the quite time they have because the jokes and ribbing will soon begin the moment the plane touches ground.

Rachel grabs her go bag as does Charlie and the both of them follow the rest of their team to the debriefing room. "It's good to be home." Charlie says softly and takes Rachel's free hand in his own.

"It's always good to come home." Rachel intertwines her fingers with Blue's and knows that wherever Charlie is he'll always be her home.

The End…or maybe not…

**BONUS: Paradise Lost**

The guys are already picking on the happy couple and they haven't even made it into the Unit building just yet. Rachel laughs as Bob hands Mack a fifty dollar bill. "I can't believe you were betting on us." Rachel huffs playfully.

"Carlito held out a lot longer than I thought but at least I beat Bobby boy here." Mack rasps out in his gruff voice. His blue eyes are alight with mischief and Rachel beams at the copper haired man.

"Alright…let's take it easy on them. Well at least for twenty four hours. After that you can have at em. Last one to wrap up buys the beers." Jonas booms in his deep baritone before flashing a bright smile at Rachel.

"Gee thanks Top." Charlie quips just as several MP's block their way into the barracks building.

"You men, lady…drop your bags and take two steps back. This is a restricted area." The MP is big and not a familiar face to Rachel.

"Who the hell are you and what do you think you are doing?" Jonas is intimidating when he's pissed.

"I said drop the bags and take two steps back and I'm not gonna say it again." The MP is not backing down and reaches for his gun. This action is received as hostile by Alpha team and each member drops their bags and puts a hand on their guns.

"Dose your mama know you're out." Mack spat sarcastically as his hand inches for his weapon.

"You should take your hand off your weapon unless you're ready to use it." Charlie's temper is being dangerously tested by these wanna be cops.

"Alright everyone enough. Everyone stop and take your hands off your weapons." Jonas is in boss mode and trying to take control of the situation. Alpha team uneasily listens to Top and stands down. Rachel glares at the three MP's and wants nothing more than to punch them in their faces.

"Sgt. Strickland I am Sgt. Major Jonas Blane and this is my compound. Wanna tell me what this is all about." Jonas is being pushed to his limit and this kid doesn't know who he is messing with.

"My orders state…" The young MP is interrupted by Colonel Tom Ryan as the senior officer stomps his way towards his team.

"Sgt. Strickland you are to return to your patrol." Colonel Ryan snaps and the three MP's leave swiftly. "Colonel Beysmore thirty minutes I'll meet you in your office." Ryan says gruffly to the other senior officer standing next to him. He sends the man away leaving him facing the confused members of his alpha team.

"Sgt. Major this entire organization is on standby pending an article thirty two investigation for massive criminal actions and war crimes by members of this command." The colonel is stone faced and hard to read. Rachel's trying to understand what's going on but it's all too overwhelming after the week she's had.

"But Sir…" Mack tries to speak but is cut off by an angry Colonel Ryan.

"Thank you Sgt….And it seems this team, your team Sgt. Major is central to every aspect of those activities." Ryan eyes his team and Rachel is stunned at being accused of committing crimes that neither she nor any of her other team members have done.

"Colonel I'm sure there's an explanation." Jonas starts but is quickly cut off.

"In fact at the present time your men and lady are the sole subjects of these potential criminal charges." Ryan glances at his team and then to the side where the other Colonel is watching the scene with interest. Jonas follows his gaze and he gets it. This wasn't Colonel Ryan's doing. Someone is out to get the Unit.

"Therefore pending future notification you will hold yourselves ready for interview by members of the CID. And I warn you now that if you speak about this matter amongst yourselves, under law such action is considered conspiracy…and under military law conspiracy against command constitutes mutiny. And men, lady I know you well…I won't hesitate to bring those charges against you myself." Ryan's words are harsh and his posture is rigid but Rachel can see the truth in his eyes. He's trying to protect them by telling them what will happen if they're not careful.

Colonel Ryan walks by each one of his team and tries to convey through his eyes the severity of the situation and hopes they can see the truth. "This team…you five men and one woman by your actions may have destroyed a Unit thirty years in the making. Now you will walk away and leave this compound. And you will walk away in six different directions and you will have no further contact with each other." The team looks to each other than to the colonel. The silent communication is subtle but it's there.

"You are dismissed." Ryan takes off just as the last words are out of his mouth. His team takes one last look at each other before heading in separate directions. Jonas stays behind to have a discussion with the Unit commander.

Rachel, Hector and Charlie race to their house before anyone can tail them as does Mack and Bob. Once home Rachel dumps the contents of her hope chest and removes the false bottom. She pulls out three passports with different aliases on them along with checkbooks and credit cards to match. She then takes the packed bag from the back of her closet that contains the necessary items that she will need for a long trip.

Charlie and Hector are both doing the same thing. Once she is done she grabs the keys to her car as well as the spear to her back up car. Charlie grabs her by the arm and pulls her to him. Rachel's trying not to cry but her world is crumbling down around her. "Plan B Star. Plan B." Charlie whispers in her ear. Rachel nods her head and lets the traitorous tears escape from her eyes.

"I love you Charlie. I love you so much." Rachel kisses Blue lips as passionately as she can and tries to commit to memory the feel of him and the taste of him. He kisses her back just as fiercely.

"I love you too Rach. I will find you Star. Don't ever give up on me. I promise I will find you if it's the last thing I'll ever do." Charlie is deadly serious and the love for Rachel is clear in his dark chocolate eyes.

He kisses her softly and places in her hand a small plain band of gold. Rachel tears up again because the simple ring had belonged to his mother and her mother before her.

Rachel quickly places the ring on her left hand ring finger and Charlie kisses it softly. Rachel places her small hand on his rough stubble cheek and takes one last look at her soul mate.

Charlie places a light kiss on her palm and sends her on her way. Rachel grabs Hector before leaving and hugs him tightly. After her goodbyes Rachel hops into her burgundy focus as Hector and Charlie hop into their jeep.

They drive towards base and immediately notice the tail they have. They park next to each other and grab their go bags as if they were reporting to work. Rachel flashes one last look at Blue and Hector and quickly makes her way to a silver camry.

She tosses her bag in the back and drives away at the same time Hector and Charlie drive away in their back up cars. The tail they had doesn't know who to go after so he just follows Charlie's black impala.

She knows he'll be leading him away from the team and that Hector will be heading to the meeting place. Rachel on the other hand will be heading into the wind. All apart of Plan B.

Rachel stops at a gas station and pulls out the red hair dye from the glove compartment and dyes her hair quickly in the gas station bathroom. When that's done, she cuts her long locks to just above her shoulders.

Rachel hastily changes her clothes and hurriedly drives to the airport. She abandons her car and leaves with her go bag in hand. Rachel makes her way swiftly to the ticket counter and purchases a ticket to the first flight out of there.

"Miss Maria Lopez your ticket is ready." The peppy cashier says in her sweet girly voice.

"Yup that's me…Maria Lopez." Rachel smiles widely and takes her ticket. Rachel takes a deep breath and walks away from her life as Staff Sergeant Rachel Berry and walks into her life as Maria Lopez.

**A/N: Please Review. I hope that you have enjoyed this as much as I have. Of course the sequel will be up soon titled Paradise Lost. Keep a look out for it. Thanks ;***


	7. Author's note

**Thanks so much for the awesome reviews and I really appreciat**

**all those that took the time to ****let me know what you thougt of the story. **

**I truly appreciate it. Reading reviews inspires me to continue writing.**

**Also I'd like to thank everyone for reading and alerting this story. I'm happy**

**to know that others are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing this.**

**The sequel to You can always come home is now up. It's titled Paradise Lost. Please read and Review.**


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